The False Apocalypse - Rise of the Guardians
by Master Xeion
Summary: 57 years after a time traveler became lost in their world, Kenshin Himura and his allies join Alden Nayel as they enter yet another world. Do these heroes from another universe stand any chance at saving the Jedi and The Republic? Sequel to TFA - A New Beginning.
1. Chapter 01 - Success and Terror

**The False Apocalypse **

**Book 2: Rise of the Guardians**

**Chapter One**

**Success and Terror**

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the worlds or characters from the crossovers. If I did I would be working on them and not this. The original characters and world in the first chapter are however of my own creation.

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Each story of The False Apocalypse is part of a larger dimension hopper story. This is the second book in the series.

57 years after a time traveler became lost in their world, Kenshin Himura and his allies join Alden Nayel as they enter yet another world. Do these heroes from another universe stand any chance at saving the Jedi and The Republic? Sequel to TFA - A New Beginning.

Yes this is being written at the same time as A New Beginning.

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Fate can be a fickle bitch.

Life leads us to choices; some of which are easy, others can be downright tormenting. Heroes, the men and women that we look to for protection often bear the brunt of this torment. They are the ones who must make the truly difficult choices. "Who should I save?" "Who should I leave behind?" "Should I try to save everyone at the risk of losing them all when I know I can at least save most of them?" For better or worse, these are the choices that define the quality of a hero.

Decades ago an assassin was cast away from his own dying world in an attempt to save it. Lost in another dimension without any means of returning home, the assassin spent the rest of his life using his knowledge to improve the world he found himself trapped within. Over the years, friends and enemies alike became allies while others became foes more dreadful than any of them ever anticipated. It is terrifying how the presence of a single man can alter the fate of a country forever.

But why must fate choose a single champion, when so many are willing and able?

This is the story of how one man brought together the champions of many worlds. This is the story of how those champions became 'The Guardians.'

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The fated meeting between Master and pupil is not always the meeting of two. Kenshin, Sanosuke, later Aoshi and Hiko; we joined together teaching and strengthening one another. Together we created a special police force in Tokyo. In time that special force became an example for the whole country, for the entire world. Over the decades our actions brought people hope and tyrants fear.

Through trials and tribulation we trained and battled together for decades. Together we have sworn to expose and remove corrupt powers from government just as readily as we defeat criminals with visions of grandeur. It is our dream that one day we will find a way to create peace wherever we go, so those we protect may live free of the horrors bestowed by tyrants and war. It is a nigh impossible task, but a worthy one.

_I Alden Nayel spent decades in Kenshin's world, working to manipulate major historical events. Once we had defeated all of Kenshin's significant opponents and obstacles, I began secretly recreating many of the technologies of my home world. One day the technology at my disposal was sufficient to begin studying the effects of the Space-Time travel that brought me to his world. It has been complicated, and far more advanced than anything I could have ever studied on my own. Thankfully wedge's supposed time machine was for the most part, intact if irreparable. My old friend did however leave most of his notes within the machine. Without those notes I would have never have begun to understand just how I wound up in another universe._

_To be frank, I have never been considered a genius. Though my memory is a great asset, I was never much for the theoretical. It took me years to even decipher what half the notes meant. I've always had a knack for building things with existing, even experimental technology, but never for dreaming up the fundamentally new or figuring out how they functioned at a base level. Still, thanks to Wedge I have managed. Today, I believe I may have discovered the true function of the machine which threw me into this fate. _

_Space-time is far more complicated than even Wedge dared to dream. Though well outside my full comprehension, Space-time appears to be a many sided thing with nearly endless dimensions, each nearly overlapping but never quite touching. Over and over it repeats, down what I can only assume is an endless cycle. _

_Thanks to Wedge's notes and a few recent experiments it is my belief that his machine was less flawed with respect to its original intension than I had anticipated. It was simply overpowered. To move through time one needs to move back through the time dimension without stepping into another reality. It's like trying to paddle a raft upstream but pushing so hard that you throw yourself on to one of hundreds of other rafts on the same river. This is a particularly difficult feat for a physical body. This revelation, as surprising as it was, is not my most significant discovery. _

_Near the beginning of my journey a search of Wedge's machine turned up a number of small crystals. They obviously had something to do with the spatial warp and clearly held some significant amount of energy within them. Once the technology at my disposal was sufficient I was began to study them. I found that they were of a material that should only exist within the realm between dimensions. Whether it's a side-effect of the machine or of the travel itself I can't say. However, I can say for sure that these crystals originally resonated quite well with this dimension but that resonance has been on the rise as of late._

_I spent most of the next three years studying how this resonance was changing. As my equipment improved, so too did my measurements and understanding of these crystals. Over eight months ago I finally reach an epiphany about the relationship between these crystals and my travel. Every dimension has its own harmonic resonance. It is my greatest hope and fear that when these crystals resonate perfectly with another dimension, they will open a void to that reality._

_So I kept these crystals close at hand, safe in the hands of my allies. I may not know when they will resonate with the next dimension; but together, we will be ready with they do. _

_It is impossible to know what worlds await us but the one thing I know is this. I will continue traveling through dimensions until I return to my own, or until I die. And now... Now is the time to see the results of my most recent experiment._

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In a brilliant flash of light a great void opened for only an instant. The burst of energy from the emptiness was so great it scorched the ground nearby. Out of the void, Alden was unceremoniously dumped on to cold and rough concrete. Left in a momentary daze he shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of the nauseousness he now felt permeating his mind. Then a victorious thought entered his mind.

"_I was right."_

It had taken Alden decades of calculating but in the end he discovered the exact month the crystals would resonate perfectly with the next dimension. For the age of Alden and his allies, staying close that month was not a problem. Kenshin was 85, while his master Hiko was quite nearly a hundred. Were it not for Alden's technology, several of them likely would have died of old age. Even Sanosuke had to admit that genetic manipulation had its advantages, though his overall fear of technology still brought thoughts of demons and witchcraft. At least he trusted Alden to use his 'witchcraft' for their betterment.

Alden looked around, hopeful that his experiment worked yet still very dizzy and exhausted from the transport. That was when he saw Aoshi Shinomori, stretched out beneath clothes far too large for himself. He was obviously unconscious and roughed up from the hard landing but from a distance the warrior appeared to be in good condition.

"Aoshi, wake up!" Alden attempted to rush over to his ally but tripped on his own sagging pants. Just like Aoshi, his clothes were far too large for his current size. Their physical age had regressed just at his own did all those years ago. So far the age issue was one of the apparent norms of dimensional travel he knew the least about. Clearly it was going to repeat with each jump but there were few theories as to why. Alden needed to find a physicist of Wedge's caliber if he was ever going to fully understand why this travel worked the way it did. For now they would have to resolve themselves to regress to the physical appearance of nearly teenage children each time they made a dimensional jump. That was going to make integrating into society rather complicated for the early years of each world.

Knowing he wasn't going anywhere without changing into some clothes that fit Alden pulled a pack off his back and began to change as quickly as possible. Though he didn't know for sure if this would happen, it was something he and his anticipated. They prepared accordingly by stocking their packs with everything they might need for a long journey, including several younger sets of clothes.

Once dressed more reasonably Alden stumbled over to his unresponsive ally and checked his vitals. Aoshi was out cold but very much alive. That was when it hit him. Alden grinned.

"Success!" Aoshi was one of the several allies who received one of the mysterious crystals. This clearly meant that the others had to be around here somewhere. Alden had successfully brought his allies with him. Whether or not anyone without a crystal but still nearby made the jump, was yet to be seen. These results would have to be documented and studied.

"Right... the others..." Alden was about to start searching for the rest of his allies when he noticed several small crystals littering the ground where Aoshi landed. He turned back to where he fell and noticed a similar number within the range of scorched concrete. Now this was certainly intriguing. Like last time there were around half a dozen of these crystals of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. These would have to be gathered, they were too valuable not to be.

Now there were new questions. Were these crystals a part of the jump, a part of the realm between dimensions, or perhaps crystalized energy from the rest of their bodies? Did they perhaps have something to do with the strange loss of age they seemed to receive?

'_Once I find the others, these will be worth studying.'_ Laying Aoshi's body in a less awkward position, Alden stood to explore the area to find the rest of their allies. He could feel that they were close. Kenshin was the first to be found, soon followed by Kaoru, and Kenji their son. Sanosuke was found shortly thereafter, his left arm dangling over the edge of the floor into a seemingly endless void. This building was far taller than anything any of them had ever seen before.

More than an hour passed before Alden found Hiko Seijuro carrying an unconscious Megumi Takani. Even as a young boy Hiko was tall and muscled, far more so than the rest of Alden's allies. It seemed that he was a man truly destined to be a mountain among men. Even in his old age the man was stronger than masters in their prime.

"Good, you found her. I think that's everyone that made it." Alden said in relief at how many of his allies made the jump

"Don't tell me you left my stupid apprentice alone with that brute of a friend of his?" Just from looking around it was obvious that the technology in this world was advanced, very advanced. If Sanosuke woke up in this kind of place it was doubtful that Kenshin alone could calm him down. At least, that was how Hiko felt.

"You forget, Kenshin's the best at calming him down. Besides, everyone else is there." It was true, Kenshin's calm and lighthearted disposition tended to be contagious when he wanted it to be.

"You give him too much credit. How many made it?" Hiko asked, knowing how experimental this little journey was.

"Eight if you include us, not bad considering how many crystals we had." Alden replied with a smile. It was sad that Yahiko decided not to try coming with them. He was a powerful ally but without knowing if his family would make the trip he didn't want to take the chance of being separated from them. All together his motives were reasonable.

"Are these the cars you told us so much about? They certainly look nicer than the horseless carriages the city folk started using." Hiko motioned to the hundreds of vehicles that filled the floor. As far as Alden could tell this was some kind of parking complex, far larger than anything he had ever seen.

"Air cars, they're far more advanced than anything from my world." Looking out over the edge of the floor into a vast cityscape, Alden could tell that this building and those around it were far taller than anything even the greatest engineers of his world dreamed of creating. He whistled, impressed at the sheer unending void he hadn't thought to appreciate when he found Sano.

"I would not like that fall."

"Then we better get to the others before the muscle head wakes up." Hiko replied, indirectly agreeing with Alden's assessment. Men were not meant to build things this high into the air. It was unnatural. He was sure Sanosuke would agree with him on that matter.

When they made it back to the rest of their allies, Kenshin had already awoken though the others will still out cold. During the trek back Alden couldn't help but think about the technology this world had at its disposal. It should be more than sufficient to complete his research. Still there were more pressing matters at hand. First they needed to figure out what kind of dimension this was. As far as he could tell they were in a city, an exceptionally advanced city but that could mean quite a few things. He stroked his chin wondering what world this could be.

"Is this a futuristic Earth ... or is it another planet all together?" Alden whispered to himself as he started attempting to wake his remaining allies. It was clear that most of them would take a while to awaken.

Youth was a pleasant feeling; the few pains his modified body suffered from were gone, though he knew his allies would find the difference far more noticeable. His long white hair now light silver again, it was a minor difference but one he reveled in. That simple change in hair color was something he was sure Kaoru would appreciate about Kenshin. All things considered it would be weird for the couple now that they appeared to be the same age as their son.

"Hey, Kenshin…" The now red haired boy turned to Alden, his attention taken off the awe inspiring city lights. "Sano is going to freak when he sees the air cars. Try to calm him down; you've always been the best that."

"Oro?" Kenshin replied, confused about what exactly air cars were but knowing his friend likely meant the large boat looking things that lined the walls within this complex. Alden sighed, knowing he would have a lot of explaining to do - again...

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Within the hour everybody was awake and gathered together. It had taken a bit of time and privacy for everyone to change into some better fitting clothes. They were all thankful for planning ahead. After a finals sweep to make sure no one had missed any crystals they proceeded to the end of the floor where Alden explained an 'elevator' should be. The explanation, needless to say caused Sano to, as expected ... freak out.

"DAMN NO! YOU'RE NOT GETTING ME IN THAT POSSESSED ROOM!" Sanosuke screamed, his eyes wide in fear. This entire concept was worse than a train or a camera! With a door that opened on their own, who knew if they would ever escape such a creature? It was just as likely to eat them as suck out their souls.

"Sano it's not possessed, remember our 'little talk' about technology?" Oh god did Alden remember their 'little talk.' He in no way wanted to go through that again. Five hours of pure hell, that's what that was.

"I don't give a shit! That thing's possessed and you're not getting me in there." Sano exclaimed while crossing his arms in protest and standing outside. In this time, the door managed to close while the members of the Lotus Guard focused on getting Sano under control.

"So you would rather run down 600 flights of stairs?" Alden replied sarcastically, knowing that despite Sano's amazing stamina he was one of the laziest people he knew. Well when it came to anything other than fighting Sanosuke's laziness was a certainty.

"Six ... WHAT!" Sanosuke soon sprinted to the edge of the floor and looked over the edge to deny Alden's words. Much to the distaste of his stomach his worst fears were realized. The warrior who could crush pure stone with his bare hands nearly swallowed his lungs in fear as he saw no end to the void among steel and lights.

"Come now Sano, Alden's never led us wrong before, that he hasn't." Kenshin brought up in an attempt to remind his friend of the many things Alden's technology had done for them in the past.

"Yea but, but, how is this normal? What kind of society of sorcerers builds a city like this?" Sanosuke replied meekly as he collapsed to the ground.

"Well, I wouldn't put it at this level but this isn't too far from what cities in my world looked like. The air cars from my world were far less advanced though." Alden stated, praying this would finally put things to rest.

"Then how do you know it's not possessed..." Sano was about to continue when the elevator door opened, revealing a darkly robed man with dark blond hair of near shoulder length and a vertical scar just next to his right eye. A deep seeded fear gripped Alden the instant recognition set in.

"Younglings, what are you doing down here?" The darkly robed man asked, confused that anyone so young would be this deep into the Jedi temple's hangers. What was even stranger were the clothes these children were wearing, they clearly did not match the very generic earth tones Jedi younglings were meant to wear. Pink was certainly not a standard color. That didn't even begin to touch on the peculiar coats several of them were wearing, nor the apparent vibro-blades at their sides. To make matters worse he sensed something down here. It was quite peculiar, the fact that his master had contacted him, sensing the same thing proved that something had happened. Both of them wanted it checked out.

"Hey who are you calling younglings!" Sanosuke was highly offended by the term he had never heard of before. It certainly sounded derogatory to him.

"This one doesn't think that was an insult, Sano. We do look like children; that we do." Kenshin replied, scratching his head sheepishly. He hoped the man here could help them figure out where they were. It was certainly better than appearing in the middle of the ocean or some frozen wasteland.

"You're not dressed like younglings, what are you doing down here. There shouldn't be any tours at this time of night." Night had just fallen a few hours ago and most Jedi had returned to their dorms for the night. As far as he knew, every Jedi in the temple felt the same shuttering in the Force about an hour ago. Like his master said, it felt like someone came out of hyperspace into the temple's hangers. That of course was impossible, not only would the planet's defense shields prevent such a thing from occurring but on the off chance that it did the planet would likely be fractured to the core if the ship was large enough. Considering that the temple wasn't currently ground zero for a planet wide catastrophe, something else had to have occurred.

"Would you believe me if I said it was complicated?" Alden replied with a hesitant grin, now gaining a full understanding of where he was. Now the important question was _when_ they were. Alden clearly recognized the man before them and his relative age. He quickly concluded that there were somewhere within the last year or so of the clone wars. It was by far the most terrifying place he could imagine arriving in. Not only was there a galactic war going on but soon that war would come to a very oppressive end.

The Jedi's stare hardened at the reply as he eyed their weapons. These children were clearly not supposed to be here. Their swords proved that. Now the question was why they were here and why such young children were so heavily armed. He supposed it was possible that they were behind this disturbance in the Force, but it seemed highly unlikely considering their age. That was when the man reminded himself of the time he destroyed a Trade Federation Battleship at the ripe old age of … nine.

"I don't like it when he gets that look." Hiko shrugged with a sigh. It was obvious that Alden recognized this man and from the look on his face that was not a good thing. The last time he got that look was the day he noticed Enshi before the man tried kidnaping Kaoru. If ever there was a day that was truly a mess; that would be it.

"I asked you a question. Who are you?" Anakin Skywalker insisted on an answer. With or without one he would be taking these kids to the council as soon as possible. First though he needed to know what he was dealing with.

"And I said that was complicated. Who we are and how we got here are both questions whose answers border on the absurd." Alden replied as vaguely as he could. It was going to be difficult telling the truth without any proof to back him up. This time they had no time machine to flaunt as tangible evidence. Anakin blinked at the vague complexity of the answer.

"What? You will answer my questions." Anakin decided to force the issue, waving his hand at the silver haired boy and applying a bit of Force Suggestion.

"What is he doing?" Hiko asked his friends awkwardly. Was this man crazy or something? People didn't just go around issuing commands and waving their hands around like that. Perhaps it was some kind of local mannerism. That was what he thought, at least until Sanosuke started wailing and spilling his guts to the Jedi. Most of it was rather unintelligible, but he was able to catch something about a magic crystal and a city of sorcerers. Kenshin was of course by his side, trying to get him to calm down. Seeing such a vast city had certainly taken a lot out of the warrior's mind. He would have some adjusting to do. Truthfully the entire scene was rather embarrassing.

"Is he alright?" Anakin asked, concerned about the boy who seemed to have a mental breakdown the moment the Force Persuade touched his mind. Either he was very weak minded or he was struggling with some very difficult issues at the moment. Based on the barely comprehensible gibberish, it was probably safe to assume the latter.

Anakin was about to walk over to the boy and try to comfort him somehow when his holo-com started beeping. Taking the communicator into his palm the image of his master Obi-wan Kenobi appeared in blue hue.

"Master?" Anakin asked the moment he recognized the caller.

"Did you find anything Anakin? I just finished talking to Master Yoda, he said it felt like some kind of Hypergate opened up." Obi-wan explained his fellow master's thoughts. Quite frankly he agreed, The feeling was much the same as one experienced when entering hyperspace.

"That's impossible Master, even the Gree forgot how to use their gates centuries ago. I did find something though. There's a group of younglings down here. I don't think they're Jedi."

"Younglings, in the hanger? We haven't given any tours since the war started." Obi-wan replied, this was most peculiar docking in the Jedi temple was highly regulated.

"Bring them to the council chambers, they may be related to this disturbance."

"Of course master, what should I do with their weapons?" Anakin asked, knowing he couldn't carry them all by himself. He glanced at the group who had apparently knocked out the one who was having a breakdown. Judging by the precision and knowledge of pressure points utilized, it was obvious that these children were more than just that.

"I'll have a droid set a lockbox outside the chambers. How hostile could they be?"

"Believe me, we won't give you any trouble Master Kenobi. We actually have urgent business with you." Alden stepped next to Anakin to bring his image into view. With a courteous bow he did his best to show their peaceful intentions.

"Good, I look forward to seeing you then. Obi-Wan out."

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It was some time before the rather large group could reach the council chambers. Hiko carried the unconscious Sanosuke on his shoulders, much to the surprise of the Jedi. Few children were so strong at such an age, especially to carry the boy so effortlessly. The most peculiar thing of all was how one boy, Kenji, was talking about how strange it was to see his parents so young. How Kenshin and Kaoru were the boy's parents was beyond Anakin. They all appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years of age. When they finally did arrive, Anakin instructed them to place their weapons in a rather large storage container, just outside what seemed to be a very large and ornate room. They were somewhat resistant at first but after several influential members did as instructed, the others followed suit.

Upon entering the round room Obi-Wan greeted them warmly from his seat near Master Yoda. "Welcome, please take a seat. I'm sure we have much to discuss." Master Kenobi was a welcoming middle aged human with hair a few shades lighter than Anakin's and a well groomed beard. Well known as the negotiator he had the air of a fatherly figure about him. The only other Jedi seated in the room was Master Yoda; a very short creature with distinctive green skin and only three fingers. In spite of his appearance, Yoda was by far the wisest and most powerful Jedi in millennia. Considering that he was nearly 900 years old; that was no fact to sneeze at.

"I, I'm sorry, but why is there a…" Kaoru meekly tried to ask a question about Master Yoda but found a firm hand over her mouth. She thought the old master looked like a troll or goblin of some sort. It was rather unsettling. It was a very good thing that Sanosuke was out cold.

"Master Yoda is one of the wisest and most powerful beings in existence. Then, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi, both of them are on the High Council of the Jedi order. I'm sure you remember the stories I told you about them and their legendary struggle against the Sith." Alden took a stern glance at Kaoru. He knew she meant well but it was not the place for those questions, it was however the time and place for introductions. His final words though, rang a bell with his allies. Over the decades Alden had told them stories about many of the worlds he thought might exist. They now realized just the kind of situation they were in, and who that Anakin was. This truly was worse than they had imagined.

"Masters, allow me to introduce myself. I am Alden Nayel, and my friends are…" Alden motioned to Kenshin first, one of his closest friends and most trusted allies.

"Kenshin Himura, and this is my wife and son Kaoru and Kenji; that they are." Kenshin replied with a smile while motioning to them. He felt the urge to lovingly hold Kaoru's hand but the spacing of the seats around this room were much too far apart. This announcement was certainly puzzling to both the present Jedi. As far as they could tell all three family members were only children. Still, both of them could tell through the Force that all of these children had much older presences than their body's showed. Through the Force, It was quite like looking at an old changeling who was impersonating a far younger being.

"Uh – hello…" Kaoru greeted the Jedi, still a little unnerved by Yoda's appearance. His sharp teeth didn't help the matter. It was hard to believe that this was the legendary Yoda she heard so much about. She knew he was short and green but for all her imagination she never thought he looked anything like this. It was some comfort to her that she knew how kind and gentle the master was.

"Nice to meet you, Master Jedi." Kenji replied politely. If there was one thing the boy learned from Kenshin it was how to be polite. It was actually quite shocking how much he looked like his father. His voice was just a hint lower and his hair just a tinge darker but the overall resemblance was a bit uncanny. In fact, the greatest distinguishing feature between the two was Kenshin's signature X shaped scar on his left cheek. How that scar still remained was uncertain as virtually all the injuries the warriors had accumulated over the years had vanished. It was a reminder to Kenshin of how the scar refused to heal for months after it was given. He could only assume that it was a much deeper part of who he was than some superficial wound.

"The name is Hiko Seijuro, and the unconscious lump is Sanosuke Sagara." Hiko replied bluntly as was his way. He did hope that Sano didn't wake up with Yoda here. The conversation with him was going to be long enough as it was.

"Aoshi Shinomori, it's an honor." Aoshi stated with a formal bow. As far as he was concerned they were meeting with the military leadership of a very powerful country. As such a certain level of respect was due. From the stories alone he held great respect for the Jedi, their sense of honor, and their power.

"I'm Megumi Takani, the medic for this group of muscle heads. It's a pleasure to meet you." She was the last of their group to introduce herself though everyone knew this was only the beginning

"A pleasure it is, hmm, yes." Yoda replied with a warm smile on his face.

"Well, now that we're all introduced I suppose we can get down to business. What were you doing down in the hangers? We sensed something very peculiar down there and were hoping you could give us some answers." Obi-Wan asked, hoping they could get to the bottom of this disturbance they felt.

"How we got here is a bit complicated, but I believe it is safe to say that what you sensed was us entering this dimension." Well, that was certainly the interesting answer. Of all the stories the Jedi thought they might hear, dimensional travel was not anywhere close to being on that list.

"E-excuse me, but did you just say _'entering this dimension.'_" Master Kenobi replied, more than a little confused by the statement. Quite frankly the term 'entering this galaxy' was a more believable statement. Considering what they all felt however, their story did seem to hold some water.

"I know, it does sound ludicrous; but I do recall the Gree having such technology millennia ago. Surely the Jedi recall the Asation incident, when the Sith Dread Masters opened a dormant Gree Hypergate." Obi-Wan went to open his mouth but found no words to reply. Though the memory was vague he did seem to remember hearing about it at some point. It had been quite a while since he did any significant history reading.

"What does ancient Gree technology have to do with any of this?" Anakin asked from his own seat. He vaguely remembered the incident from his studies in the academy. The incident was a footnote but a rather important one at the turn of the last Sith Wars.

"Not much really. I was merely pointing out the fact that dimensional gateways have existed within certain advanced civilizations. Nearly sixty years ago, a good friend of mine attempted to develop a time machine. That didn't work out so well and it threw me into _their_ world." Alden replied, emphasizing his friends when speaking about their world.

"So this machine just randomly dropped you here?" Anakin asked, he knew that hyperspace was a complicated thing. There have been a few incidents involving failed hyperspace jumps that resulted in _forward_ time travel. While the technology itself was well established, even those who worked on it barely understood the physics behind it. The reality was that such technology was beyond the _complete_ comprehension of even the best physicists in the galaxy. The phenomenon had been studied for tens of thousands of years and there was still progress being made today. He did know however, that there was a significant difference between entering a parallel dimension and another one altogether. To break into another reality all together was… well the ramifications of that were frightening to say the least.

"I suppose you could say that. The technology is hardly mastered. Wedge was actually going for time travel when it all happened. I spent years after my first jump trying to figure out what went wrong. Our current appearance is just one of the many side effects I haven't figured out just yet."

"I can't say it's entirely pleasant being this short again, but having all my wounds healed is a nice bonus." Hiko commented, having noticed the absence of the deep gash from when Kenshin mastered his succession technique. Of all his scars that one hurt the most, by far. This bit of information gave the present Jedi quite a bit to think about. There was so little known about inter-dimensional travel that it wasn't that difficult to believe such strange side effects were possible. Truthfully most civilizations gave up on the subject because there was very little to gain outside of hyperspace usage. Most of the alternate realties that had been opened were infested with strange and violent creatures. To make matters worse the gateways themselves were highly unstable and difficult to use safely.

"That does bring up a very interesting question. If you're from some other reality then how do you know such obscure history about our world?" Obi-Wan asked what to him seemed to be a very obvious question. If they've only been in this plane of existence for an hour or so then how did this Alden boy know so much?

"Hmm, why indeed. Another complicated answer perhaps?" Master Yoda sensed this to be the case. Very little was simple when it came to dimensional travel. It was much like the Force in the fact that it could be studied for millennia without a single being gaining a full comprehension of the subject.

"Unfortunately, for that answer I would prefer that Anakin not be present." It was clear that this statement highly offended the world's 'chosen one' whose reaction quickly drew Obi-Wan's attention. After a short exchange of glances between the two Masters in the room Obi-Wan motioned for his former apprentice to give them some time. This action did not set well with Anakin but he accepted it none the less. It was obvious from Alden's tone that he would say no more with Anakin present. Once the doors had shut to the chambers the silver haired boy sighed in relief. Kenshin on the other hand shook his head at the young Jedi's reaction.

"That one has a very hard head; that he most certainly does." Kenshin commented, seeing just how difficult their self-imposed mission would be in this world.

"He's a good Jedi but he still has a lot to learn." Master Kenobi replied.

"Very true. Now then, you wanted to know how we know so much about your world?" Alden brought them back to their earlier conversation.

"I would assume you had some way of viewing this world but that doesn't answer how you know about our history." Master Kenobi pointed out.

"Not a bad guess. Where I'm from the Force does not exist. However, it seems that a number of authors in my world had some form of psychic connection to the events of other dimensions. Countless books and shows were written for entertainment. The story of your world was one of the most expansive ever written." The two Jedi in the room exchanged glances. The connotations of this event were becoming increasingly disturbing.

"I was shocked at how much he knew about our world. Alden knew everything about Kenshin's past and countless enemies we had to face." Kaoru added, their friend's knowledge came in very handy over the years. For all of the enemies they had to face it seemed a miracle that they survived.

"So these authors have even seen the future of countless worlds?" Both present Jedi knew just how terrifying a weapon this sort of knowledge could be. Alden merely nodded affirmatively.

"My presence and actions altered the events of their world forever. I would like to think it was for the better but that is impossible to know for sure."

"Always in motion is the future, always difficult to know what will be, hmm, yes." It pleased Yoda that the silver haired boy knew how complicated the future was. Even by preventing visions, it was difficult to know if those actions would truly lead to a greater good. Shortsightedness made for easy mistakes when dealing with such matters.

"Has Anakin killed Dooku yet?" Alden asked in an attempt to gain an understanding of when they were.

"Dooku; that was our last mission, why?" Obi-Wan replied surprised that the boy knew even that detail. The events were being suppressed from the media for the time being. Only the senate and Jedi knew the full details.

"Is he on the council yet?" Alden groaned, clearly disheartened by the news. They were easily within the final year of the clone wars.

"Anakin, Force no. He's growing rapidly but he doesn't have the patience or the experience to be a Master." At this, Alden scoffed.

"With his new authority, Palpatine will be placing him there soon enough. The man is the Darth Sidious you've been looking for. Within the year he will manipulate Anakin's feelings and turn the chosen one to the dark side. At first Anakin will go to Master Windu when Palpatine reveals his true colors. The events that follow will bring Anakin to his ultimate fall and your attack on Palpatine will give him all the excuse he needs to initiate order 66 and destroy the Jedi." This was quite the sobering revelation. It sounds like this Darth Sidious played them all from the beginning. Thinking back they could tell just how close Palpatine had been to Anakin since the events on Naboo.

"This is worse than any of us feared."

"If true this is, then remove Palpatine from office, we should." Yoda replied, knowing the sooner they dealt with Palpatine, the better.

"But like they said, we would be heading right into his trap." Obi-Wan replied. This was a terrible turn of events. The most politically powerful person in the galaxy had been manipulating this war from both sides and now they knew he was also the most powerful practitioner of the dark side in millennia. These were dark times indeed.

"The longer you let it go, the more time he will have to groom Anakin as his new apprentice. All I can say is that keeping the two of them separated is the least you can do. Palpatine won't move to destroy the Jedi until he's either cornered or has Anakin in his grasp." Alden gave his own thoughts on the subject. These events were far bigger than him and his friends. There was actually very little they could do outside offering their knowledge.

"Bring this to the council we must but rest for now we should." Master Yoda added. It really was quite late and not the best time for making important decisions. They needed to confer with the council.

"Yes, it is quite late. I'll have some visitor's accommodations prepared for you all, unless there's anything pressing you have left to say?" Obi-Wan offered, knowing they wouldn't have anywhere to stay.

"We don't have much to offer, Master. However, it is our purpose to help however we can. Our knowledge and skills are at your disposal." Alden offered with a respectful bow and was soon followed by his allies.

"Very well, we will see you tomorrow then." Kenshin's allies all stood and bowed formally once again before exiting the chambers.

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Minutes later, after the council chambers stood empty the two Jedi Masters strolled through the glorious halls of their temple. These halls were less private than the council chambers but their current discussion would not need such privacy.

"Their story is quite unbelievable, do you think we can trust them?" Obi-Wan asked the aged Grand Master of their order. Floating on his hover-chair Yoda looked around the halls, finally resting his eyes on his fellow council member.

"Sense deceit in their words, I do not, but cautious we must be when taking their word." Like the master said time and time again, the future was always in motion. Even if these beings were right, their mere presence had already changed the future. How large this change will be will only be known to historical records, longer after they are all dead and gone. The changes we can see in person are insignificant compared to the events of the greater galaxy.

"They do act like Jedi, but I hope they're wrong. It's hard to accept that we're heading for that level of disaster."

"To underestimate the dark side, foolish it is. A dark past I sense in them. Observe them for now, I think."

"If only we could teach Anakin that kind of patience." Master Kenobi replied with a sigh. Neither knew what the next day would bring. However, they did know that the future of their world rested on Anakin's decisions. Those however, rested with Anakin and those who interacted with him

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**Chapter Notes**

Well, here it is. I had the first few chapters of this written fairly thoroughly until I decided to watch episode 3 a few days ago. That was when I had a new idea about the time Kenshin and his friends would arrive in this world. I actually like this idea quite a bit better as it gives me more time to develop a relationship between them and the Jedi.

In case anyone is still a bit confused about this story I will reiterate. This is the second book of a series called The False Apocalypse. It is a complete rewrite of an older story of mine which is still up if you wish to take a look at it. Though I am writing book 2 at the same time as book 1 it is best if you read the active portion of book 1 before trying this one. I tried to give a decent explanation of the plot at the start of the chapter but there really is no replacement for the real start of the series.


	2. Chapter 02 - Decisions

**The False Apocalypse **

**Book 2: Rise of the Guardians**

**Chapter Two**

**Decisions**

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the worlds or characters from the crossovers. If I did I would be working on them and not this. The original characters and world in the first chapter are however of my own creation.

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"Impossible, they're too old, especially if their story is true." Master Ki-Adi-Mundi stated from his seat within the council chamber. Several days had passed since Kenshin and his allies entered this realm. While Obi-Wan and Yoda initially wanted a council meeting the following day, they felt it would be more prudent for the most important members of the council to meet in person. This information was simply far too sensitive and with the new revelations about Palpatine so they couldn't take any chances. It wouldn't be that difficult for someone of Palpatine's political pull to have the Jedi frequencies tapped. While this meant pulling several important generals back from the war, this was treated as a matter of urgency. At least temporarily, a number of Jedi Masters who were not serving on the council took their place on the front lines.

"I do admit they are rather old but we did make an exception for Anakin. He may not be the perfect Jedi but he's one of the best we have." Obi-Wan replied, having given this subject a great deal of thought over the last few days. The war was dwindling their ranks at an alarming pace. They needed more Jedi and faster than they could raise younglings. Yes, it was dangerous teaching the ways of the Force to just anyone; he did feel however that these beings were among the best candidates for such an action in a very long time. In many ways, their life story was a testament to the fact that they could choose the light over the dark.

"Their tests did come back rather high, several are as high as my own. It may be dangerous not to train them." Mace Windu replied, mulling the idea over. He was never an advocate for training anyone much older than infants. However, the master did acknowledge that some beings were so strong in the Force that they might develop abilities without training. Without the proper guidance that end was far more dangerous in his opinion. This was especially true now that they knew the Sith had returned. Sometimes it was better to train someone knowing they would be an imperfect Jedi, as opposed to leaving them for the Sith to train from the start.

After giving the travelers rooms to stay in, master Yoda ordered a battery of tests to make sure they were in good physical shape from their travel though time-space. Without the protection of a ship, it was hard to imagine they had got by without any damage at all. What they found however was a group of exceptionally healthy people whose genetics had been manipulated just slightly from the human standard. They were stronger, more resilient and would likely be longer lived than traditional humans; the estimated margins were rather significant. To make matters more troublesome, a check of their midichlorian counts proved that they were all Force sensitive. This was of course statistically impossible for so many of such a small group of friends. The testes were redone but they only confirmed the earlier results. Considering the notion that the Force did not exist in their home world, it could only be assumed that something about the way they entered this dimensions granted them such a high level of sensitivity. Master Yoda had earlier surmised that it could be because their bodies had reassembled so close to a Force nexus; a location that was extremely potent in the Force. The other masters had to agree, considering their temple was one such place.

"A good point, but look at what they said about Anakin. If he's anywhere as close to falling as they suggest, he could be our greatest enemy." Master Mundi brought up yet another good point. Anakin's susceptibility to attachment had always been a difficult thing to keep in check. Had the boy never known his mother he likely would have never had such difficulties. His attachment to the droid R2D2 was but one example of the acceptable yet highly frowned upon attachments the boy had made.

Jedi Master Mundi was a Cerean; with his species distinctly tall head, yellow eyes, and a white fu Manchu above a long goatee. He was one of the most recognizable Masters in the order. A prominent member of the council he was also one of the masters who was on the receiving end of some of the council's most lenient applications of the code. This fact however, did not make him any less stringent in his own interpretation of it. The Cerean was as wise as he was brutally logical.

"You forget, he's being manipulated. If Darth Sidious is anywhere near as powerful as they say, it's a wonder he hasn't turned more Jedi to his side. As close as Anakin is to him, it's a testament to the boy's true character." Obi-Wan replied, knowing of the few Jedi who had already been turned throughout the war. Even Dooku was a respectable Jedi in his time. This revelation may truly explain how Dooku fell so quickly. It answered a lot of questions. Obi-Wan and Master Yoda had talked extensively with the travelers over the past few days, especially Alden who seemed to have an astonishingly thorough knowledge of the order's past, present, and future. The boy had made it exceptionally clear that Sidious was easily the single most dangerous practitioner of Force suggestion he had ever read about. Considering the boy's knowledge of subjects lost to even the Jedi archives, this was a terrifying realization.

"Perhaps, but two of them are married and deeply attached to one another." Master Mundi countered. He himself was married, as per the customs of his species and its necessity regarding their low male to female ratio. However, he strove to minimize the passion in his relationships as much as possible. It was a difficult thing to balance, even for a Jedi Master. For one who had been in a passion filled relationship for decades… That was another story.

"That could be a problem, it's hard enough for seasoned masters to deal with the passion of such a relationship." Master Windu added. It had been millennia since the Jedi allowed romantic relationships. The Ruusan Reformation made the rules on the subject much more strict. If they were being completely honest, the rules restricting or against relationships and marriage had only existed for no more than four or five millennia. While the common argument against it was to prevent Jedi from falling to the dark side, that end was not actually very common. Marriage was accepted by the Jedi for more than 25,000 years with without any major problems. Most of the real tragedies occurred when Sith or other dark Jedi used the relationships to twist a Jedi's mind. That aside, the true reason Marriage was banned was out of necessity.

Jedi needed to be utterly devoted to the order and focused on the light. This not only made them less susceptible to the dark side but also better Jedi in the long run. Without split allegiance they tended to make better decisions in the field. It did have to be acknowledged however, that the Jedi had lost many otherwise decent Jedi due to the ban. Though not common, there were quite a few instances of Jedi who had developed relationships in secret and left the order peacefully because of it. Few Jedi, especially those on the council, would admit it openly; but if they were just a bit more lenient with that particular rule, several dozen, perhaps hundreds of Jedi over the centuries would have stayed in the order.

"You've talked with them the most Master Yoda; what do you think of them?" Mundi asked, thoughtfully. While Mundi was considered one of the wisest masters to have served on the council, he paled in comparison to Yoda. The short creature had been on the council for centuries before any of them had been born. Though Yoda was the Grand Master of the Order, that title simply made him the first among equals. The title aside, Yoda was so old and so wise that his word carried a weight that few could ever dream of. It was rare that the council's decisions ever veered far from Yoda's opinion.

"Hmm, unwise it is to train ones so old, so marred by war. By their true age, a master I was." The master paused, considering his words and their potential consequences. "If absolute the code was, be a Jedi, I would _not_. Beautiful minds they have for ones so scarred. Raised far worse Jedi we have, but never known the Force have they, yes, hmm." Again the Master paused, trying to bring the conflict within his mind to an end. This was a very difficult decision to make. Strictly speaking this topic shouldn't even be before the council, but these were troubling times and these travelers had a very unique situation. They would be difficult to train as Jedi. Truthfully nobody had even asked them if they wanted to join the order. Obi-Wan simply thought it was prudent to have the council consider the possibility before questions were asked, or they were turned down without any deliberation.

If these travelers were trained then it was possible that they would be powerful allies. On the other hand, Alden's knowledge made him a powerful ally even without the training. As far as their age went, these 'children' were by far the oldest the Order had ever considered training. While they looked like adolescent children, their minds were that of very old humans. However, several of them were kinder and wiser than many Jedi Knights. This was the only real reason that Yoda even saw the training as a possibility. The master mentally went over the positives and negatives of each of the travelers.

Sanosuke was a fairly simple person. He had a deep seeded sense of right and wrong when it came to harm towards others. He enjoyed fighting in much the same way that Master Windu did. He loved a good fight but hated to bring any lasting harm upon anybody. He was strait forward and was the kind to literally knock sense into those straying down a dark path. In all honesty, his greatest fault was his fear of the unknown, specifically technology. The first time he had seen Yoda was actually somewhat amusing. It would take some time for him to get used to this world but Yoda held few doubts of his ability to cope over time.

Hiko Seijuro was an arrogant man whose physical strength was vastly out of the ordinary. For a man with so much pride he held a surprisingly grounded view of his own strengths and weaknesses. For all that pride he was an honorable man who deeply respected the sanctity of both life and death. He preferred to stay out of political squabbles, considering them largely meaningless due to their temporary nature. The view was surprisingly similar to the longwinded view of the council. Unless called upon to stop particularly aggressive actions, they tried to avoid getting involved.

Kenshin Himura was one of the most peculiar. While a solid number of his views coincided with Hiko's, he was a far more humble man. Any Jedi would do well to raise a student as loving and humble as Kenshin. Truthfully, if the boy were a Jedi he would make a respectable master and a solid member of the council. His past was dark to be sure, but he had overcome that darkness more flawlessly than many Jedi could hope. In fact, overcoming the death of his first wife was the very thing that made him as loving as he was. As odd as it sounded, this member of the group was the one above all others that Yoda wished to see trained.

Kaoru, Kenshin's wife was a strong willed woman with a generally kind nature. Her anger, though quick was very in the moment and often playful in nature. She held a strong want to protect people; this was true to the point that she was willing to battle a far superior opponent just to gain enough time for reinforcements. Though she and Kenshin were strongly connected, they had come close to losing one another so many times that they accepted the possibility. This was by far the most difficult part of a Jedi having a relationship. Their connection was a risk, but one that was shockingly well managed.

The son Kenji took quite a bit after Kenshin but held a few more of Hiko's prideful traits. While not as ideal as Kenshin, there were many Jedi, Yoda wished were up to Kenji's level of inner strength and control.

Trained or not Megumi would make a magnificent healer. She had a mind for medicine that rivaled countless medic droids. Few chose the path of the healer but to Yoda it was one of the most honorable occupations in existence. To him, it was more honorable than even being a Jedi. Regardless of training, the Jedi would be giving her access to a magnificent medical education.

Lastly there was Alden. To say he had the memory of a holocron would be an understatement. As well read as Yoda was, the boy seemed to know as much if not more about the galaxy and its past than anyone Yoda knew of. He even knew things that were lost to the Jedi archives, holes in their history that could be filled with astonishing detail. He was a logical man who deeply respected and yearned for the wisdom of those around him, but had little patience for those who would not listen. This fact would make him a great librarian and better tactician. Like Kenshin he had a very dark past that had taken many years to recover from. Thoughts of revenge for his brother's actions tempted him for years before Kenshin convinced him to let it go. This darker self that the boy kept suppressed with an herbal tea deeply concerned Yoda. If they did decide to train the boy, he would have to be taken to the healers to see if this other self could be removed or completely suppressed. Without that, Yoda would see to it that he would never be trained, that he _could_ never be trained.

Unfortunately, Yoda knew that this group would not accept any training if even one of them were left out. It was a vexing problem.

"Hmm, a test perhaps?" Yoda suggested, it had been millennia since the order openly took older initiates to be Jedi but in the time before the Ruusan Reformation it was common to issue tests to see if prospective students were ready for training.

"You mean like the old tests?" It was an interesting idea, Obi-Wan thought out loud. The order had changed quite a bit since such tests were last used but they served their purpose in their time. If such tests could be recovered, it would make the problem of prospective older students much easier to solve. It was a time of war and the Republic needed more Jedi. Bringing back the old tests would certainly streamline the process.

"That is rather unorthodox, but it might work." Master Mundi agreed. If they passed the appropriate tests then there was little need to deliberate.

"Are you sure they would take it though? They want to help; but they may not even want to be Jedi." Master Windu voiced the possibility. From what Master Yoda told him, Alden in particular had a very rational grip on the dangers his alternate self posed. Windu found it quite likely that the boy would turn down the possibility on that issue alone. That concern aside, becoming a Jedi required a deep commitment. Few would choose it if they weren't raised into it.

"Then perhaps ask them, we should" Yoda answered, his tone more of a final statement than a question. It was not an end to the meeting, merely an end to the topic. They had many topics to discuss that day for they had gleaned much from these peculiar travelers.

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For the former members of the Lotus Guard, the last few days had been 'out of this world'. With their bodies restored more thoroughly than any medical technique could hope, it should have been a time of enjoyment. That was however, not the case. As expected Sanosuke utterly freaked out when he first saw Master Yoda. He had of course been warned and had been told many stories of the wise old Jedi. Somehow his knowledge of who Yoda was and the good he had done did not connect with little green creature with very pointy teeth. The old master merely laughed and grinned; he could see deeper into these 'children' than most thought possible. It took time to get through to Sano, but he calmed down quite a bit once the name finally clicked. The ruffian couldn't help but be shocked that this was the 'little green man' that could raise a ship with his mind or leap tens of meters with seemingly little effort. Though it was difficult to accept, Sano had to take a few breaths to come to terms with the fact that this world was filled with strange creatures that were not necessarily going to bite his head off.

Their days since then had been largely filled with meditation in the Room of a Thousand Fountains after long talks with either Master Yoda or Obi-Wan. It was astonishing how relaxing the room was. Aoshi seemed to enjoy it the most. Though they all meditated on occasion and sometimes regularly; for the former member of the Oniwaban, it was a part of daily life. Never in all his years had he found a place so peaceful as this room.

Today Aoshi meditated alongside Hiko and Kenshin near a particularly large waterfall. They were surrounded by flora that were far more exotic than anything that could be found in Japan. To their relief grass did exist on this planet, as it did in most life bearing planets. It was an awkward thought that there were some places where something as common as grass did not exist. If Sano could stand meditating for more than a few minutes at a time then he would have loved this place. It was so detached from the mechanical world that surrounded them; it seemed like an isolated paradise.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you here." Jedi Master Mundi had not spoken with any of them before but had heard plenty from his fellow council members. This seemed to be the place most of these visitors liked the best. Kenshin opened his eyes and adopted a gentle smile. It was so nice to spend a few days away from the conflict and politics he had spent his whole life dealing with. The swordsman was lapping up as much of this tranquility as he could, knowing that it wouldn't last for long.

"Master Mundi, it's good to see you again; that it most certainly is." Kenshin's greeting brought his own master and Aoshi out of their meditation as well. Aoshi in particular was meditating beneath the rushing water of the nearest waterfall.

"You as well. I will get right to the point. The council wishes to ask you all a question."

"A question, unfortunately you're probably better off asking Alden? He knows much more about this world than we do; that he does." Kenshin replied, slightly embarrassed and rubbing the back of his head. They had been asked so many questions the last few days, it was unfortunate that Alden had to answer most of them. It was actually very embarrassing how useless most of them had been thus far.

"Fortunately it's something you must all answer for yourselves. We wish to know if you have any desire to become Jedi." This statement was much more serious than any of the three had imagined and their eyes widened in astonishment. It was a very personal question. They had been the Lotus Guard for many years. Truthfully they had all made their goal in life to improve the worlds they visited. There were few ways in this galaxy to do more good than by becoming Jedi. Sadly, such a decision also heavily restricted their possible actions and movements. It was a very heavy dedication they would likely have to make as a group. In all likelihood, becoming a Jedi meant giving up on helping other dimensions and dedicating themselves solely to this one.

"We are deeply honored, but we will have to discuss this with everyone else. We are a group with our own goals that may lead us beyond this existence. We may be better off as your allies." Aoshi replied with a bow after a long silence. He understood many of the ramifications of joining the Jedi as well as turning down the offer. What the Jedi were offering was a chance at unfathomable power in exchange for extreme loyalty and dedication to a very restrictive lifestyle as well as a republic that literally spanned a galaxy.

"The possibility has been discussed. If you wish to become Jedi, you will each undergo a test to see if you can handle the difficulties that come with learning the ways of the Force. We do consider your goals quite admirable. In fact, if you do become Jedi, we see this as an opportunity to expand the order to realms that have no such guardians." That was clearly what was behind this. Alden had explained to them time and time again that they were FAR too old for the Jedi to consider training them. Now the Jedi saw an opportunity that outweighed the risks of teaching ones so old. Truthfully, the Jedi were very close to the type of entity the Lotus Guard wanted to become. Jedi were guardians of the galaxy, and keepers of peace and democracy. In the end, this was an opportunity to join an established organization with the resources to do everything they ever planned on.

"Thank you for this opportunity, Master Jedi. Let's go talk to the others." Hiko replied in a commanding tone, receiving only a nod from Kenshin and Aoshi. This was one possibility that Alden had discussed with them briefly but not enough for them to develop a definitive solution. He told them all how unlikely the possibility was but explained the many difficulties that would follow such a decision. Needless to say, Alden still deeply feared his inner self.

Finished with their meditation, they set out to return to their lodging, knowing that the others would likely return there once they received this astonishing bit of news.

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Early this morning Master Windu arrived and was able to speak to several of these travelers. From that short conversation it was actually quite clear at this point that Alden was the only one who had any real knowledge about this world. The others had only heard campfire stories about the adventures of countless Jedi through history. While it was worth the time getting to know each of these travelers, it was Alden that spent most of the time discussing the troubles they were soon to face. This reason above all others was the reason he wanted to tell Alden of this latest development himself.

From what Windu knew of the silver haired boy, he was more than likely down in the archives. It was a massive library that was traditionally restricted only to members of the order. Considering Alden's vast knowledge, Yoda pulled some strings to grant the boy special access. Since that day the boy had spent the vast majority of his time poring over countless records and holocrons. Many could not be accessed due to his lack of ability with the Force but it was commendable how much the boy relished in the knowledge. When Windu arrived, he was intrigued by the conversation between Alden and their chief librarian Jocasta Nu.

"There's always been a part of me that's always wished I became a historian. I never would have been involved in that mess in my home world. On the other hand I would likely be dead, and I would have never got to see this magnificent place. If only I could see the Great Jedi Library." Alden told the librarian in fascination. Though he had spent several days here, the two of them didn't have much time to speak. Jocasta was usually quite busy preparing other Jedi for missions or archiving the data from one. A short while ago, it only took a small question from the silver haired boy to bring the two of them into a conversation that might as well have been a history buff's wet dream.

"That make two of us. In all the galaxy's history that was the only archive greater than this one. In my opinion, there was no greater loss in galactic history than the destruction of the great library of Ossus." Jocasta replied, it truly was a terrible loss. To her, no historian in the galaxy would feel any different.

"Once this war is over we can re-discover it. I may not know the exact location but I know enough to find it." Alden replied. When Yoda granted him access, it was necessary to reveal the fact of dimensional travel to the librarian. When she heard of the knowledge Alden held, she was utterly fascinated. Now that she had a decent opportunity to talk to him, her fascination grew by leaps and bounds.

"Really, someone re-discovered it? Did anything survive?"

"Oh yes, plenty survived, not everything but plenty. Several Jedi hid in a number of deep caverns when the supernova struck. Their descendants were mutated but managed to live. It should actually be re-discovered by a Jedi Master this century. If we can end this war…" Alden trailed off, having to take a deep breath at the thought of all the knowledge that library still contained.

"By the Force, if we had that knowledge, this archive would be the greatest the galaxy has ever seen." The librarian replied in just as much awe as Alden. This boy truly was a treasure trove of knowledge. He had agreed a little while ago to create a holocron of his own to add to the archives. His memories would fill gaps that had been missing for millennia. If they could truly find the great library… there was missing knowledge from the time of the founding of the Jedi, from the Force Wars to the great schisms.

"It's good to see you two are getting along so well." Master Windu finally decided to step in, having been present for a decent portion of the conversation. Quite frankly he too was fascinated by the possibility of re-discovering the great library. Still, there was a war to win and talking about such a thing now was meaningless.

"Master Windu, come for more stories?" Alden replied with a smile. Even back in his home world, Master Windu had been one of his greatest heroes growing up. This world was both a curse and a blessing in that respect. On one hand, there were legendary people to meet, and a galaxy of knowledge at his fingertips. On the other, there was a war going on, as terrifying as the one from his own world, possibly worse.

"Not today, Alden. Actually, the council just finished deliberating about your situation. If you and your friends are willing to take a test, we are willing to let you become Jedi." Windu replied diplomatically. To him, this entire situation was rather precarious. By all rights they should never accept trainees this old. On the other hand these were the greatest extenuating circumstances next to Anakin's in a thousand years.

Alden stopped and his face dropped gravely. "I-I-I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. D-did you just say you want us to be Jedi?" The boy stuttered repeatedly as he tried to find the words to say. Quite frankly, this was idiotic.

"Put simply, yes." Windu replied, the librarian at his side was agape at the declaration.

"Th-th-tha- NO. That's impossible." Alden replied as quickly as his mouth would permit, soon unable to say anything short of near hysterical laughs between sharp breaths. "Wh-weren't you listening when I said I've got a beast in my head? Do you really want to put the power of the Force in the hands of a nihilistic monster? Sure I've got it under control now, but who's to say it won't show up again." Alden chastised the decisions between bouts of near hyperventilation. His breathing was labored and choppy. This couldn't be happening.

"We will want to run a battery of tests to see if it poses a threat. We have a number of mind healers and geneticists ready regardless of your choice." Windu replied seriously. This was not the reaction he was expecting. Sure he expected some disbelief, he even expected a lot of deep thought, but a no? Few would turn down the chance to become a Jedi, much less someone with Alden's goals. To do so as easily as the boy seemed to be, truly spoke to how much he feared this thing in his mind.

"You're actually serious aren't you?" At least they had thought it through. Alden had been so many decades without access to a proper geneticist that he had forgotten that this world likely had ones far more advanced that his home world. The Kaminoians were proof of that. It was an unfortunate truth of this world however, that access to such technology was highly regulated and expensive. There were humans here who could live for centuries with the right modifications. However to keep from causing an overpopulation problem that technology was largely kept out of the hands of the common folk. While the Jedi had access to such technology they were not the kind to use it outside of extenuating circumstances.

"We are… We are at war Alden and our forces are dwindling. We need more Jedi and faster than we can train younglings. I can't say that most of your friends are ideal but collectively you are better prospective Jedi than we could hope for. Assuming you can be cured, or that it can be adequately suppressed, we will allow each of you to take a test. If you pass we will train you."

"I'll have to speak with the others." Alden turned his head aside, looking off into the distance as he tried to wrap his mind around how much this would change his plans for this world.

"They're being told as we speak." Master Windu added. He certainly hoped that they were taking it better than Alden was.

"Excuse me." Without another word, Alden turned and left to discuss this turn of events. The reaction was a bit rude but the boy clearly had a lot on his mind at the moment. They would clearly have to confront the travelers later, once they had time to discuss this possibility.

"We're really going to teach them?" Jocasta asked, now sure that the surprises of the week were nowhere near done. She did believe that they would be valuable allies, but never once imagined that they would be trained.

"Force willing, with their knowledge we can bring this war to a swift end." Windu replied, the war had gone on long enough. If he had anything to say about it, they would have Palpatine's head on a figurative pike by month's end.

"Come now Master Windu, you of all people should know that no war ever ends swiftly." The librarian replied, well versed in the history of war. Windu was far too wise to truly believe his statement.

"Then Force be with us all."

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"Did you hear?" Kaoru asked, excited and somewhat frightened by the turn of events. Kenji had just walked through the door to a common room which adjoined each of their rooms. It was only a short while ago when each member of the Lotus Guard was told of their opportunity with the Jedi. Kenji had spent much of the last few days watching some of the younglings training. It was actually rather fascinating, especially since they had been granted special permission to visit many parts of an otherwise restricted facility. It made him rather easy to find when the Jedi came calling.

"Of course he knows, why else would he be here at this time of day?" Hiko replied condescendingly, he felt that this discussion was largely a formality. In the end, it was such a valuable opportunity he couldn't really see anyone short of Alden having any reason _not_ to join them.

Kaoru was about to admonish her husband's master when she became distracted by the sound of the room's automatic door sliding open. Alden quickly stepped in with Megumi close behind.

"I take it everyone knows?" By the look on Alden's face he was in an even more serious mood than Hiko. Receiving nothing but nods all around Alden could do little but collapse onto a nearby couch with a heavy sigh.

"I really don't see why we really need to discuss it. If were this afraid of power then why are we here in the first place?" To Hiko, fear of this kind of power was the very thing that made it impossible to wield. It was the same as when he taught Kenshin the succession technique to the Hiten Mitsurugi style. Now was the time to act with strength, conviction, and honor; not fear and caution.

"What do you mean we shouldn't discuss it? This is a big! It'll change how we react to everything in this world." Kaoru answered, hardly believing what Hiko was saying. Sure he had a point, but this was too big not to at least talk about.

"Kaoru's right, if we join them we will be dedicating ourselves to their order. What will happen when the crystals react again?" Kenji replied seriously. The Lotus Guard had spent decades preparing for this jump. It seemed like a bit of a copout to give up on that now. As much as he liked the Jedi, especially after seeing them in person, Kenji didn't want to give up on their goal to shape the fate of countless worlds. As big as this world was, he didn't want to stop there.

"We have already dedicated ourselves to helping wherever the crystals send us; that we have. However, they have resources we can never build up in a single world." Kenshin added thoughtfully. It was actually rather puzzling, trying to think about how to react to this. It was like their choice was between accepting help and giving up control or helping them and walking away in a few decades only to start over in the next world.

"Master Mundi did mention that they were interested expanding to other universes. If we did join them, we may be able to build gates to these other worlds. If that happened we could be ambassadors for the Republic." Aoshi surmised. He actually rather liked the idea of influencing countries to join the Republic by dealing with their greatest threats. It would be complicated but a worthwhile endeavor.

"Well I think you're all crazy." Sanosuke burst out suddenly.

"Not this again, Sano." Megumi rolled her eyes, having had her fill of his anti-technology rants for a lifetime.

"Hey, hey, hey; I get that these are the good guys, alright. I just don't think any of this is normal. What part of levitating ships or turning planets to glass is normal, huh? I say we help them stop these Sith guys and work on getting the crystals to take us somewhere else."

"For all we know Sano, the next world we end up in could be even more advanced. There are worlds I know of with beings capable of willing entire systems out of existence. Jedi might be able to lift a ship or manipulate the weather but there are some worlds with people capable of blowing up entire cities at will; worlds where they fight in mech suits the size of buildings, the size of cities. I'm sorry to say this Sano, but your world is probably one of the most bland worlds in existence." Alden replied, nearly exasperated with Sanosuke on the subject. They had wasted far too much time dealing with it the last few days.

"Well, you're the leader, what do you think we should do?" Sanosuke replied on the edge of sarcasm.

"As quiet as he is, Kenshin's the leader. We established that the month we met." Alden replied as he took to resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

"That's because Yamagata knew Kenshin. You're the one who brought us together and you're the one who knows everything about this place now." Hiko stated with certainty. As much as he hated being someone's subordinate, he hated the pressure of leading even more. He still wondered how the brat talked him into joining this mess in the first place. Being a potter was a nice peaceful existence.

"If you must know, I think it's a valuable opportunity. If they're willing to make a few concessions regarding our goals in other worlds, then I don't see why we shouldn't become Jedi. I am a bit afraid of my alter ego going nuts but if the geneticists of this world can't fix me then I don't know of any world that can." Alden replied frankly. The cloners on Kamino were the premier geneticists in the galaxy. While they specialized in the manipulation of embryonic genomes, they were also well versed in the manipulation of fully grown subjects. If that didn't work there were abilities within the Force that could even wipe memories. With some studying he was confident that there would be some technique that could suppress that blasted thing. If not, Alden would be perfectly happy as the group's tactician.

"This one thinks it would be most beneficial. It would make saving the Jedi from extinction much easier; that it most certainly would." Kenshin replied, knowing full well where the overall opinion of the group was going. With the latest approvals towards joining the Jedi it became increasingly evident that Sanosuke was on the losing side of the argument. It frustrated him but he knew that he was beat.

"What can you tell us about this test?" Hiko asked, now glad that most everyone was of similar mind on this subject.

"It hasn't been used in a long time, not since before the Ruusan reformation. When the Jedi regularly accepted older students, they used it as a way of testing to see if the student could meet adversity as expected of a Jedi. They were usually individualized, testing perceived shortcomings in prospective students. I remember reading of one who was told to levitate a rock at a time when the student didn't have that level of attunement with the Force. The goal wasn't actually for him to succeed but for him to persevere without losing hope, for him to ignore the quick and easy path while forgetting his place."

"So they have us fight ourselves, our internal weaknesses. This one can see why they would want us to undergo such a trial, that I can." Kenshin replied in understanding. That understanding however, brought him no closer to knowing what his own trial would be. Kenshin would be the first to acknowledge his own weakness, and there were many. To him, that was the first step towards resolving those weaknesses.

"Precisely, I'm not sure if they will give us these trials themselves or place us within a Force nexus that will allow the Force to test us. The later would be a much high tier test but considering the situation I wouldn't blame them for trying to be sure."

"Can these tests be… dangerous?" Kaoru asked, having a bad feeling about what some of these trails could entail. They certainly didn't have any ability with the Force at the moment, so it was unlikely that they would do anything that would actually test that ability.

"They could be, traditionally not though. I would give more specifics but they have these tests for a reason. The point is that you figure out the answers for yourselves. All I can say is that we be mindful of our fears and weaknesses, as well as what an ideal Jedi should be. If we can make those decisions as any Jedi would be expected, then we should have no problems." Alden replied, hoping that everyone would pass these tests without significant trouble. The part that worried him though, was if it were anything like Luke's trial on Dagobah. The last thing Alden wanted was to face his other self. On the other hand, knowing what he did about the force, that was likely the best way to deal with that creature.

"Then we're agreed." Master Hiko announced with satisfaction as he pressed a button on the desk in the center of the common room. After a few moments, Master Windu appeared in blue hue above the short table.

"Ah, I take it you've reached a decision." Master Windu answered over his portable holo-com.

"We accept."

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**Chapter Notes**

Thanks again to Rune for catching something in the last chapter. I've replaced "So far the age issue was one of the pars of dimensional travel" with apparent norms. It gets across what I intended and sounds a bit better when reading it.

As to Golem's suggestion: I'm going to try and rotate between each book for a little while but a lot will be largely determined by what I have more inspiration going on at the moment. Come chapter 8 of A New Beginning I think you will have a decent idea of where I'm going with Alden's skillset.

For anyone who has not noticed, I added the name of their group from A New Beginning to this story. I have modified several descriptions from the previous chapter to accommodate this. You will be seeing much more of the Lotus Guard in A New Beginning.

I did actually have a bit more planned for this chapter, but as I got near the end I felt that this was a good place to end it. After a bit of thinking the rest I had planned will fit a bit better with the next chapter anyway.

Watch out for the next chapter. **Chapter 3 - A Trial of Character**


	3. Chapter 03 - A Trial of Character

**The False Apocalypse **

**Book 2: Rise of the Guardians**

**Chapter Three**

A Trial of Character

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the worlds or characters from the crossovers. If I did I would be working on them and not this. The original characters and world in the first chapter are however of my own creation.

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The days which followed the Lotus Guard's decision were busy to say the least. The Jedi had much to prepare before the trials could be given. One of the most prominent happened to be the tests Alden would have to undergo in order to determine the level of risk involved with his alternate personality. The tea he drank had kept his 'monster' under control for half a century. There had only been a few times where it reared its ugly head, but those few times were dangerous to say the least. From what the boy had told the Jedi, he was right to be so cautious with it. Unfortunately, the goings on in the medical bay were not currently of the highest priority for the Jedi Council. One very disturbing prediction, these travelers had warned them about had come true to shocking accuracy.

The Jedi High Council had just recently been informed of Palpatine's decision to place Anakin on said council. Even for those who guarded their emotions as well as the present Jedi Masters, this action was insulting. Never in the history of the Jedi did anyone in the Republic have enough power to appoint someone to the high council without its express consent. To make matters worse, they knew that the man who provided this _lovely_ insult was their greatest enemy. To any regular person, it would have been infuriating.

It was fairly late in the afternoon when Master Windu received the order and convened the Council to discuss the development. In the end, they had been warned about this though there was little they could do aside from comply. There was however, _one_ thing they could do. From what Alden told the council, Anakin would not take the appointment well when told he would not be given the rank of Master. This is where a particularly longwinded discussion had begun. Clearly in whatever future Alden had seen they had given Anakin the facts and left the boy to figure the rest out on his own. There was a certain degree of tact they would have to consider, especially knowing of Palpatine's dark influence. However the information was presented they had to leave no room in Anakin's mind for argument. Somehow, the council had to present the information in such a way that even Anakin wouldn't even make himself a Master. Somehow, he had to come to the conclusion on his own.

"Ah, there you are Anakin. You wouldn't answer your com, the council needs to see you." Obi-wan had just been given the task of finding his former apprentice after all attempts of communication had been exhausted. Wherever the boy was, he didn't have any form of communication on him. Fortunately, Obi-Wan found Anakin outside one of the temple's many meditation chambers. Clearly something was heavy on his mind.

"Sorry Master, I needed some time to think. Does it have something to do with those children the other day?" Obi-Wan frowned at Anakin's reply. Yes, you certainly could say it had something to do with those 'children.' The reality was actually far more complicated.

"I suppose you could say that. Apparently one of them had a number of visions when they got here." Obi-Wan replied seriously as he and Anakin began their trek across the temple.

"I did think it was strange that that Alden boy knew so much about our history if he was from another reality." Somehow the incident had filled much of Anakin's thoughts the last few days. It was the only thing besides the war that could keep his mind off of his nightmares. The dreadful dreams had become excruciatingly worse since he returned to Coruscant.

"So did we all. A few hours ago, one of his predictions came true."

"…That's impossible, it's hard enough to believe him seeing glimpses of the past but the future too? I thought he was just trying to get me out of the room the other day." Honestly, visions were difficult enough for Jedi to see clearly, much less untrained children. Only extremely powerful force users had multiple and accurate visions. That fact was what made Anakin so afraid of his own dreams.

"He was, the vision had to do with you. Most of them have something to do with you. I must say it was all actually rather disturbing." Quite frankly Obi-Wan was rather disappointed in Anakin, having heard of what these visions entailed. A sudden dread filled Anakin's gut, unsure of what these visions were about. Did they see that he was married? Did they see something wrong he would do? Visions were too troublesome.

"What was disturbing? Did I do something? Did something happen to me?" Anakin asked as vaguely as possible. If these visions didn't have anything to do with Padme then he wanted to keep his mind well clear of such topics.

"I'm afraid I can't say. We're nearly there."

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When Anakin and Obi-Wan entered the council chambers, the mood could easily be described as somber. Something serious had happened, Anakin knew it and the fears of his being discovered came fresh into his mind. Just as quickly as they came, he banished the thoughts and brought himself into the moment. Needless to say, he had a bad feeling about this meeting.

"Take a seat Anakin, we have much to discuss." Master Windu directed as he motioned to a seat they had prepared in the center of the room. While Master Yoda was the 'Grand Master of the Jedi Order', the effective leader and highest ranking of the Jedi; Master Windu was the 'Master of the Order,' the head of the High Council and the being who lead its council meetings. In all the order, the dark skinned master was the most renowned Jedi next to Yoda himself. He could also be one of the most terrifying when displeased. At this moment, Mace Windu did not seem to be in a present mood.

"Yes, Master." Anakin replied with a respectful bow and did as directed. A quick glance around the room proved that everyone present was in a less than cheerful mood.

"Several events have come to the attention of this council, Anakin; events which have us rather concerned. Alden Nayel, the silver haired boy you found in the hangers; one of his predictions came true today. Knowing the shocking accuracy of this vision, it is our duty to investigate several other events he has made us aware of." Master Windu explained with surprisingly little detail. While the wise master knew he would at some point, he wanted to keep Anakin in the dark about Palpatine's order till this other issue was resolved.

"May I ask what these events are, Master?" Anakin asked when the Master paused for a moment.

"We are getting to that, Anakin. First of all, we never received much information on the events of your duel with Count Dooku. In Alden's vision, you had defeated Dooku. When he kneeled, defenseless, you beheaded him in anger, why?" It was quite peculiar for a vision to be stated as fact, but every Jedi in the room could sense from Anakin's own reaction that it was true. Master Windu was especially stern when asking the question.

"I… I knew it was wrong, but the chancellor told me that he was too dangerous, he insisted I kill Dooku. I don't know what came over me. I just, I just felt so much rage." Anakin replied, shrugging at his own shame, knowing that there was no use in hiding the truth. He was surrounded by the most powerful members of the order. Any lies would be detected with ease.

"Why didn't you tell us Anakin? These sorts of experiences are very serious. Few Jedi can hope to overcome them on their own." Obi-Wan replied with concern clear in his voice. He, like a good number of council members, was more concerned with the fact that Anakin had not sought council after such an event.

"I was … afraid. I knew it was wrong the moment it happened. The scene won't leave my mind!" Anakin was disappointed in himself for his actions that day. He didn't know where it came from but a rage built in him that moment when he killed Dooku.

"This is a time of war Anakin, many Jedi have experienced these feelings, especially after dealing with a Sith Lord. There are many Masters who have experience with overcoming such feelings. You should have sought us out. It's dangerous to let such feelings fester." Master Windu knew all too well how the dark side tugged at one's soul during battle. His own Vaapad style was a double edged sword. It drew on the dark side and took immense focus on the light to keep it in balance. Of everyone Windu had tried teaching the style, he was the only one who hadn't fallen.

"I'm sorry Masters, I was just so afraid." The young Jedi was afraid of being kicked out of the order. Of all the things in the universe, his place in the order and at Padme's side mattered more than anything.

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Acknowledge our shortcomings we must if ever to overcome them we are. Think Yoda has no dark side, hmm, foolish this line of thought is. Acknowledge it Yoda does, but give it no power do I. Learn to do the same, you must, hmm, yes. " Master Yoda admonished.

"I will try to set aside some time to work with you on this, Anakin. With the number of confrontations you've had with the Sith you are one of the most vulnerable in the order to their influence. You may not have noticed it but Dooku was goading you to kill him. The Sith know you are the chosen one and they will even sacrifice themselves to turn you."

"What, but Dooku didn't even say anything? He looked terrified when the Chancellor told me to kill him." Anakin replied, and felt yet another pang of regret with the last sentence. Maybe they were right, as much as he hated to admit it, that surge of anger happened too quickly.

"Mind tricks, Anakin; the Sith are exceptionally skilled at manipulating feelings, even on Jedi. To kill one in anger takes us exceptionally close to the dark side. The practice has been used by Sith for millennia. So long as a stronger Sith replaces them, they can die happy, whether they look like it or not." Obi-Wan commented, having done a great deal of research on the subject after Alden's story. It was actually quite amazing the kinds of information that was available in the more restricted areas of the archives.

"I understand Master, I will do better." Anakin resolved. He felt like a Padawan again, the feeling was embarrassing. He was above this, he knew it! How was he supposed to be the chosen one if he fell into the same mistakes as any rookie?

"Very well, that brings us to the next topic. You _are_ aware that attachment is forbidden?" The emphasis Master Windu placed, indicated that he was stating a fact, rather than asking a question. He already knew the answer.

"Master?" Anakin was unsure of how to reply. Suddenly all his fears of being discovered flooded to the surface. He knew now that he had been caught and he covered his face in shame.

"We know about Padme. I'm very disappointed in you Anakin. It's bad enough that you're in a married relationship, but the fact that you've hidden it from us is worse." Obi-Wan scolded his former apprentice. The secrecy and lies were by far the worst part of this entire situation.

"I love her, Master! You've loved in the past, don't deny that." Anakin felt like lashing out but restrained his reaction as much as he could. He still came across as rather harsh.

"There is quite a big difference between passion and love. I won't deny what you said, but I had my devotion to the order to think of. Even if I had pursued a relationship, I overcame Satine's death because I loved her openly. Passion leads to obsession, Anakin. We can't let that happen to you." The chosen one was too important. If he were to fall to the dark side, then this entire war was for nothing.

"So you'll be taking my lightsaber then?" Anakin surmised with no lack of sadness and disgust in his voice.

"Exile is not the decision we came to. Though Alden told us the truth of this matter, he also argued rather fervently on your behalf." Master Windu answered, now shocked that they hadn't seen this before. "He brought up a rather valid point concerning the way we traditionally handle cases like this." He couldn't help but remember that particular conversation. While it had changed little with regard to Windu's views on the subject it did bring up some very interesting points that he considered worth debate.

"_You're leaving Jedi to live alone with these emotions because they can't come to you about it. These are beings we're talking about, not droids. Everyone experiences emotion and the difference between Jedi and normal people is the fact that they control their emotions, they don't become lost in their emotions; but they still have them. The order is asking the impossible!"_ Alden had argued after first bringing up Anakin's marriage.

"_This is not something I'm here to discuss. We're in the middle of a war, it is not the time to debate policy that has been in place for thousands of years."_

"_But it is central to the problem. There are dozens if not hundreds of Jedi in secret relationships, with secret children of clones just to start. I don't claim to know the ways of the Force but I know more history about the order than any one being in more than ten thousand years. The Jedi didn't ban relationships till four thousand years ago and they didn't enforce it very thoroughly till the Ruusan Reformation. Republic did that during a time of demilitarization; at a time when Jedi were viewed more as warriors of immense power than peacekeepers. The Jedi conceded these points to keep from being dismantled all together. We're at war again, and our complacency is the very thing that let the Sith return."_ Windu really had no idea just how many Jedi were involved in secret relationships. The prospect was actually rather disturbing. What was worse, he knew that Alden was largely right. While the policy had stood for more generations than most people could trace their lineage, the Jedi as a whole had stood for much longer.

Though he disagreed to some extent, Alden's words had struck deep with Windu over the past few days. As much as he hated admitting it, if there were anywhere near as many secret relationships as was suggested, the boy was right. Just a little research proved that. If nothing else the ban was likely causing its own problems by keeping Jedi from seeking assistance with their emotions. It was something that would have to be thoroughly debated once the war was over.

"These are dark times Anakin and quite a few Jedi who left the order to pursue relationships have eventually fallen to the dark side. It is a difficult thing to balance." Obi-Wan added, having been present in that particular meeting. While he had to concede many of Alden's points he did feel like Jedi relationships heavily conflicted with their duty. Even though he had struggled with it himself, he felt that the rules were there for very good reasons.

"Precisely, he argued that instead of exile, we should teach methods of overcoming passion. It has been done in the past, but not for millennia. Quite frankly, we are not sure if we want to pursue this path but we have come to a decision. Once Alden's medical reports come in, we are going to give them a test to see if they are worthy to become Jedi. You will also participate in a similar test. If you pass, nothing further will be said on this matter unless it becomes obvious that your relationship is hindering your service to the order. If you fail however, you will be required to study extensively with Qui-Gon Jinn's holocron and have regular check-ins with the council. While he was rather unorthodox, he was a master of controlling his passions. He was a strong advocate for 'loving openly' as Obi-Wan put it. As of now you are effectively on probation."

Anakin blinked forcefully a number of times, he could not believe the words he was hearing. "You're not expelling me from the order?" The young Jedi asked in disbelief. Never in all his fantasies had he really imagined that the council would allow him to stay, knowing about Padme. He had hoped that one day, when he was on the council, he might be able to guide them to change. It was however, a remote fantasy.

"Not unless your current path takes you down a very dark road. We have been warned and so have you, Anakin. Unless something changes, you will fall to the dark side. We will do everything in our ability to keep that from happening but you have to trust us. You can't allow your feelings to fester like this." Obi-Wan was still very concerned about his former Padawan. He thought of the boy like a brother but lately that connection seemed to be waning. Something was pulling them apart and now he knew that the wedge was Darth Sidious. The difficult part was getting that point across to Anakin. They now recognized that they were dealing with a very volatile Jedi. Under most circumstances, the boy was a rather impressive Jedi, but now that they knew what to look for, they knew that he became worse whenever he would get close to the Chancellor.

"Thank you Masters, I won't let you down. Please tell me, he saw a vision of me falling to the dark side, what did I do?" Anakin pleaded, he just had to know. Somehow he had to know the future he had to prevent. Master Windu exchanged a look with Obi-Wan who nodded and decided to explain.

"You became so obsessed with keeping Padme from dying that you jumped when Darth Sidious claimed to have a way to keep it from happening. The man you became left Padme so broken hearted that she no longer had the will to survive child birth."

"NO! I would never do that!" Denial, Palpatine really did have a firm grip on the boy.

"You're doing it right now Anakin!" Obi-Wan shouted in an attempt to wake the boy up. Somehow, that was just the jolt that Anakin needed. He needed to have his actions thrown clearly in his face, exposed for what it truly was. The young Jedi paused in shock at his own reaction.

"…What is happening to me?" Looking down at his hands with terrified eyes, they were shaking in fear. Obi-Wan was right. As much as Anakin wanted to deny the reality, it was right before him. This anger, it was so consuming.

"We may not know who Darth Sidious is, but somehow he is manipulating your emotions through the Force. Those dreams of yours are part of some dark side technique. Padme is in no danger except from yourself. The Sith are manipulating your passions, Anakin. You can't give them that tool against you." Pleading, for Anakin's understanding, that was what Obi-Wan was doing right now. The 'Negotiator' felt that if he failed here, that he had failed Qui-Gon and the order itself. He wouldn't let that happen.

"I! ... I understand Master." Anakin was about to refute the truth but reined himself in. It was difficult to believe that anyone could be powerful enough to implant such vivid dreams in the minds of a Jedi. Still the entire council of the most powerful Jedi in existence believed it to be true. If they were right, then his passions really were Padme's greatest danger. He would do whatever it took to conquer them for her. "Thank you, I really am trying but I'm so afraid of losing her, I'm so afraid of failing the Republic." It was somewhat ironic that Anakin's passion for Padme was the very thing that stood to conquer his passion.

"You're not alone Anakin. We're here to help if only you'd ask." Obi-Wan's role as Anakin's master had played a significant role today as the council knew it would. They trusted each other far more than most Jedi. Thankfully, that bond seemed to be getting through to the chosen one. Still, every member of the council knew that this process would take time; an amount of time that they didn't really have with the war going on. Fortunately, they now knew things about the war that could potentially turn the tide. With enough time and effort they may be able to bring this war to an early conclusion. Then they could focus on the order's own internal problems. The fact that so many Jedi seemed to have struggled with passion at some point was troubling. After hearing Alden's stories, the council had come to realize just how blinded it had made itself towards such difficulties. Accepted or not, passion was a problem they would have to help many Jedi deal with. Ignoring and banishing those afflicted by it was only masking the real problem.

"With that out of the way, we do have one more matter to discuss, Anakin." Master Windu felt that Anakin finally had a thorough enough grasp of the situation to continue with the main point of the meeting. "Earlier today we received an order from Chancellor Palpatine. None of us here believe that you are ready for the responsibility at the moment, however he has placed you on this council." The Master of the Order stated as nothing more and nothing less than fact. It was quite clear that none on the council were happy with this decision.

"…" Flabbergasted, Anakin found himself incapable of saying anything, though his mouth hung agape. "I…but…how can I be on the council after everything I've done against the code?" It didn't make sense, even to Anakin. It would have been one thing had his transgressions not come to light but with them in the open it seemed impossible for him to receive such an honor. At the moment it didn't feel like he earned it, like he was only here because it was convenient. The simple truth was that he was only here because he had a friend in a very high place. It actually frightened him that only an hour ago, he would have been honored beyond belief to have made Master and a position on the council. Now it just felt like it meant nothing, like anyone could be on the council if Palpatine so wished it.

"By all precedents we should have expelled you from the order. That fact alone is what makes this order so disturbing. We are already being very lenient with you, largely because you have so much potential and because you have done so much for the order throughout the war. That however, does not excuse your actions. That said, we cannot grant you the rank of Master and we must emphasize how much you will have to lean on the wisdom of this council. We will expect you to earn your place though you have the position." There was a tinge of disappointment that he would not be a Master but he could easily see why. He was lucky that he was still in the order at this point. Quite frankly he was lucky they hadn't demoted him to being a Padawan again. Promotions were quite out of the realm of reason.

"Now then, if you would take your place, we have more pressing concerns to attend to." Master Windu directed Anakin to the lone empty seat in the circle around the room. As soon as the young Jedi left the one in the center, it rose up and retreated out of the room. The meeting had only begun.

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For all the tests he had been run through, Alden was glad that his home world was moderately advanced. Their technology paled in comparison to those of the medical lab he was in but at least they had some semblance of most of the objects in the room. In all honesty, he felt more at home in this medical bay than he ever did in Kenshin's world; even with how hospitable Kaoru had been. There was simply a point to me made that he was raised, surrounded by advanced technology. As an engineer, it was largely disappointing, living so many decades with only the modern comforts he could make himself. A proper toilet was the thing he was most thankful for.

Overall the tests were not very intrusive; a little blood here, a tissue sample there and the occasional physical exam. A battery of mental tests had been run and found little wrong with him. He- was of surprisingly sound mind for the events that started him on his journey. When the blood tests came back however, there were a few rather distressing results at the top of the report. As had been explained, Alden was human but one with heavy genetic modification. The geneticists had no idea what they were getting into. While the manipulations were quite primitive compared to what the doctors were used to; they were also far more expansive than what was generally available in even illegal channels. To make matters worse, the manipulations were so primitive that they seemed like botched work. The silver haired boy would require significantly further modification just to bring him to a level that their doctors considered 'safe.'

By 'safe' the geneticists were not actually talking about the extra person in his head. His muscles had been strengthened to an impressive degree but the limiters in place to keep him from ripping them right off the bone were nearly nonexistent. That was only the start and the regulations the Republic had in place made it so there was only so much they could do about it. It was illegal to genetically expand a being's natural lifespan beyond 50% longer than the standard for said species. This was largely in order to control overpopulation. As far as they could tell, this boy would live well beyond 200 without accounting for disease and other complications. Truthfully the only thing that kept him from seeming strange back in Japan was his silver hair.

It took a solid day just to repair all the damage that had been done to Alden's DNA. With that repaired, they were able to look more closely at any causes for a second personality. While they had found a couple strands that would constitute mental instability under high stress, there was little else that was found. In the end, they assumed that such a disorder was caused largely by the sheer degree of splicing and the primitive nature of how it was applied. Those doctors believed quite fervently that Alden would have no more troubles from his more violent self.

When Alden went to see the Jedi mind healers however, they noticed something rather peculiar, something that they only had records of ever existing. There were two souls in Alden's body. The other soul appeared to be effectively dormant though they had no answer as to why the tea seemed to suppress it. Unfortunately they did know that the only records of such a thing were directly linked to possession. Using the Force for exorcism was something that no Jedi had done centuries, however there were plenty of documented cases, though most were on inanimate objects.

It had taken time to set up the ritual that would expel the wayward soul. Upon an altar, within a nexus of the light side, the best Force healers on Coruscant gathered to perform something so old that that none save Yoda could have seen the previous attempt. The sheer amount of Force energy that was being drawn upon was so potent that it became visible around Alden's body as the healers chanted in unison. When more than half an hour passed and none could sense that any soul had been purged or budged in any way, they shifted tactics. Instead of expelling the soul they would seal it so deep within Alden's being that it would never trouble him again.

In the day that passed since the soul suppression, they checked him multiple times but none, not even Master Yoda could sense the soul any longer. So far as any living being could tell, the creature would never be seen again.

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Mere hours after Anakin's meeting with the council, he and the Lotus Guard stood together in the depths of the Jedi temple. Deep into the mountain on which the Jedi temple sat, there was a hallway that led to a series of rooms that were once used to test potential students. The place was deeply saturated with the light side of the Force. Though the halls were plain compared to the rest of the complex it was oddly settling, the perfect place to gather ones thoughts before entering the Hall of Trials.

Master Windu stood before them and explained what they would soon face. "Beyond these doors lie your tests. They will test your character and resolve; and will demonstrate whether or not you are worthy to be trained as Jedi. Pass and you will be taught, fail and you will have to assist the Republic in other capacities. Anakin, you already know what is at stake here." The two Jedi exchanged a look and a nod before Windu continued his general announcement. "When you are ready, pick a room and enter but be warned; it should not be extremely dangerous but it can be. Death is a possibility within these chambers." Looking to each of the participants Windu checked their resolve. All were ready.

"Begin" Without any further words, all but Master Windu chose a door and entered. None knew exactly what they would face.

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Upon crossing the threshold Kenshin was astonished that he had not entered a room but an entirely different world. It was like stepping out of a skyscraper into a field of lush rolling hills. It was hard to imagine that it had been days since he had seen any grass that wasn't in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The feel of real soil beneath his feet was oddly relaxing in a way he hadn't thought of before. Life had an interesting way of making you take such small feelings for granted. Even the few days since he became a kid again made it difficult to remember what it was like to be in his prime. Much to his surprise, when he looked down, his hands were not as tiny as he thought. Using his blade as a mirror, Kenshin could tell that he was in his prime.

This room really was peculiar, like everything here was real and yet it couldn't be. Such a place couldn't possibly exist within the temple and such a room certainly couldn't change his body. It was like everything he was experiencing was in his mind but too real not to believe.

As Kenshin looked around, trying to gage where he was. Suddenly he was broken from his thoughts as an enormous explosion resonated through the air. Looking to the sky it was easy to see a stream of white smoke that seemed to cross the sky in a matter of seconds. Kenshin knew that the explosion had to be a sonic boom. About the time that thought crossed his mind, the swordsman realized where the object was going only to see a bright flash and pillar of fire where a small village seemed to peak out from the crest of a hill in the distance.

Narrowing his eyes at the growing understanding of what happened he took off into a sprint that none of even his allies could keep up with. It was a well-known fact that Kenshin was the fastest man alive, at least in his world. Master Hiko made for a close second while his son Kenji regularly competed with Alden for third. Most of the core members of the Lotus Guard were so fast that only the best martial artists could follow with their senses, physically keeping up with them was another matter altogether. Kenshin himself had once broken the sound barrier, much to the ache of his muscles afterwards. It was only for an instant but the terror achieved by the display was enough to send his opponents into full retreat.

In only a matter of minutes, Kenshin had traveled nearly ten miles. The few modifications Alden had made to his genetics was the only thing that kept him going so fast for so long. Even the cars that existed near the end of their time in Japan couldn't have made such a pace. Had anyone seen Kenshin and known who he was, they would have known why the Lotus Guard were so feared and so revered within Japan. For today though, that fact was entirely pointless.

Arriving at the edge of the edge of the town it was impossible to miss the devastation the missile had caused. Fires raged and bodies littered the streets as residents fled in all directions. Though the swordsman could not see them he could feel the presence of warriors entering the city. Just at the edge of his hearing there was a distinct clatter of a dense metal, like some kind of armor rapping at the ground in orderly sequence. Someone was invading the town and Kenshin needed to know why. A part of him wanted to help the locals evacuate from the spreading fires but he knew that the invaders were the more pressing concern.

When Kenshin took off down the street it didn't take long for his enemy to come into view. The samurai had never seen Mandalorian gear before but those before him were standard issue and practically every color in the rainbow. Whoever they were, these men fired beams of blistering plasma bolts into the fleeing populous. A number of deadly streams flew right down his path though Kenshin seemed to blur side to side as the beams flew through his after images.

"Looks like we've got a regular speed demon, Ghez. Looks rather odd for a Jedi" A red one near the front seemed to say to a blue one, if the movement of his head was any indication.

"Can't be, no lightsaber, only a vibroblade." The blue one replied though the dozens behind them laughed at the thought.

"This one would kindly ask that you leave. There's been enough bloodshed this day." Kenshin always preferred to end matters as peacefully as possible, but even he knew that such an end was unlikely with all the damage these people had done.

"Well won't ya look at that; the Jedi thinks he's intimidating." An orange warrior shouted from further back. How Kenshin whished he was back home where his name held the weight of a well-respected Empire behind it.

"People are hurt and dying, don't you see that! They need medical attention. You might as well control the town already." Kenshin shouted back, starting to lose his patients with the sarcastic tones these people seemed to enjoy.

"He's got a point, don't he Niff? We better get to work before they suffer too long." The one in blue spoke again, clearly laughing off the idea that anyone needed medical attention. The only attention that anyone in this town needed was a good bolt to the head.

"Right you are Ghez."

"Leave now or I'll make you leave." Kenshin became deeply serious as he palmed the hilt of his blade. There was no time to argue when bystanders were going to be slaughtered. The moment another of the armored warriors appeared to begin another snarky remark, Kenshin vanished from their sight though the ankle high grass parted at break neck speeds.

Ghez hit the ground hard as Kenshin's blunt weapon struck his neck. The red haired swordsman was there and gone, long before anyone could take the time to aim. In an instant another mando hit the ground and with a midair twist Niff's blaster was cleaved, leaving only a grip and half a chamber of molten orange. Yet again the swordsman vanished with naught but a blur.

"Sith's blood!" Another cried, firing his blaster at what was only a blur of black and red. When he switched to infrared on his HUD, he was finally able to make out a few minute streaks of heat signatures. This gave him enough time to pull a vibroknife only for his arm to be seared off. It took less than fifteen seconds for their numbers to be whittled down to a messily half dozen. The other by now, everyone had switched to infrared but it was for naught. Kenshin had started using his coat's invisibility and all heat signatures vanished from existence.

Disembodied, Kenshin's voice called out "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu – Doryusen!" Suddenly a wave of stone and mud was ripped from the ground and pelted the remaining Mandalorians, though their armor offered plenty of protection. They fired volley after volley of blaster bolts in the direction the stones came from but they were quite literally shooting at thin air. Not a moment later a paralyzing fear struck the warriors; it was unlike anything they had experienced before. They could not see their opponent yet he had done something that they hadn't even heard of a Jedi doing. They were all paralyzed, even their eyes couldn't move to try and locate their seemingly invincible opponent.

Knowing it was impossible to move the few remaining Mandalorians tried to listen for Kenshin's footsteps and finally noticed the distinct crunching of grass. He was here, somewhere but his cloaking technology was specialized on a wavelength that even their gear couldn't pick up. It was humiliating to listen as their comrade's bodies hit the ground like they had been shot or dismembered, but that was not the case. Thus far only three of them had lost even a single arm. Everyone else was simply knocked out cold.

Soon only one Mandalorian remained and Kenshin appeared right in front of him. "Why are you here?" The red haired swordsman demanded, his eyes narrowed as he flicked his blade in such a way that the commando's helmet was ripped off. He loosened the grip of his Shin no Ippo just enough to allow the man to speak.

"Why do you give a krif?" Clearly the final word was some kind of native swear. That did not sit well with Kenshin, considering the village that lay burning behind him. Turning his blade to the sharp end he placed it at the warrior's neck.

"This one is not in the mood." Emphasizing his point, Kenshin dug his blade in just enough to draw blood but ensuring that he would cause no permanent damage.

"You don't have the guts. No one behind me is dead, I can see their vitals."

"There's a difference between cowardice and honor." Kenshin rebuked the line of thought.

"There's honor in death!" These people, whoever they were; they were far too much like the more fanatical samurai of Kenshin's era. Just as Kenshin was about to knock the man out he heard a very familiar voice in the distance.

"Shinta!" It was Kaoru. Kenshin had no idea how she got here but the voice was all too familiar and no one but her called him Shinta.

"What are you doing here Kaoru? This one thought we were supposed to go through separate doors?" Kenshin replied, still somewhat agitated by the situation with the armored warriors.

"I did, but when I saw the fire I had to help the village evacuate. What's going on here? Who are they?" Kaoru had to ask frantically. She had spent quite a while, rescuing the trapped and helpless from the missile strike. "Thank goodness you're safe, Kenshin."

"These men here have something to do with it. This one intends to find out what, that I most certainly do." Embracing his wife lovingly, Kenshin held her tight, knowing that countless families in that village would no longer be able to do the same.

In a moment that shook their world, the distinct sound of a blaster bolt broke the silence as a sudden weight filled Kenshin's arms and a warm fluid feeling began to crawl down his neck. Pulling away from her, Kenshin looked on in shock at he noticed the characteristic signs of carbon scoring around a clean hole in her forehead. "Kaoru?" He asked, begging her to respond as tears filled his eyes. It was too late, he knew that. "No Kaoru, you can't leave me! You CAN'T! NO, noooo…" For all the wars he had ever been in, this was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen. Watching Tomoe die was one thing, it tore him apart when that happened but they had only known each other a few years. He and Kaoru had lived their lives together and here she laid in his arms with a blackened hole in her head. There was no torture like this, not in all of existence.

"Well what do we have here, a Jedi who can't handle broken rules?" Clearly free of the Shin no Ippo the last remaining Mandalorian tossed his blaster around like a toy. Whoever this Jedi was, he was too broken now to be a threat. One more solid pull of the trigger and the man would drop like nerf. Kenshin sniffed and brushed away his tears with his shoulder as he laid his wife to the ground and closed her widened eyes. She had clearly seen what was about to happen but had no time to warn her husband.

Another bolt sounded as Kenshin stood and beat it aside with his blade which hissed and steamed for a moment after contact.

"You seem to like watching people suffer." Kenshin stated as tears rolled down his cheeks like a faucet that refused to close. In that short moment, the Mandalorian realized how big a mistake it had been not to shoot this opponent first, not to double tap and take them both while they were distracted. He had never seen anyone who could react with such precision while in such a distressed state. To make matters worse that distress quickly turned to resolve. Kenshin still goals to achieve, and allies to protect. Mourning could wait; there was a village to protect and Kaoru would never forgive him if he gave that up.

Kenshin took a step forward and the Mandalorian a step back as fear gripped his body. This Jedi was not normal. He couldn't say anything in response. There was nothing _to_ say but his body was screaming for him to get the hell out of here. His body was right, in a flash his hands became glowing stubs. Not a moment later the Mandalorian saw back as his body hit the ground in unconsciousness.

"You will never harm another being; that you will not!" Kenshin shouted to the downed warrior as the scene began to fade and he found himself in an empty gray room with nothing but a bench and a door. Looking to Kaoru's still form, it too had vanished without a trace. It had all been an illusion though the tears still ran down his face. He knew now that this was all part of the test. What he did not know, was that Kaoru's experience was much too similar for his liking.

Everyone in this trial was being tested by the Force, an entity that could see the depths of their soul and knew the very thing that would test their character the most. That was the very thing that everyone had in common when entering these rooms. For Aoshi and Hiko, it was a test of pride. For Sanosuke, a test of his fears vs doing his duty. Every member faced a test that brought them face to face with the worst part of their minds. For Alden that part was the thing he hoped the Jedi had finally rid him of.

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Entering a room as dark as the deepest cavern he had ever been in, Alden wished he had brought a light of some sort. This darkness was not the kind that one would experience on the night of a new moon. It was a piercing darkness that seemed to crawl into even your own skin, like all light had been purged from the world. Few could imagine anything more terrible than being struck irreparably blind to all their senses. If one could do nothing but think then one might begin to wonder if they even exist. It was fortunate for Alden that the darkness did not permeate quite that absolutely. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness he was able to focus on a single source of light off in the distance. It seemed to be miles away so he treaded carefully, using his sword as a stick to keep from tripping over anything along his path.

Seemingly forever he walked towards the light that didn't seem to grow any closer, only brighter though it was clearly quite dim, like that of a small candle at the edge of a cavern. What he did notice however, was a faint voice. It was deeper than his own and of a much darker tone but its location was quite clear. Whoever was there, happened to be where the light was coming from. As he drew closer yet he could start to make out the sound of the occasional scream; like someone was being broken, tortured.

Breaking into a run Alden no longer cared about the possibility of tripping. Something was happening where the light was and he needed to know what. For minutes he ran and the light only grew larger until he could make out the shape of a doorway with a dark table just beyond. The screams grew louder with every step and so did the clarity of that which lay beyond the room. The floor was white but stained with numerous pools of blood. On the far wall was a fence that reached to the ceiling. Still yet the voice grew louder and more agitated though no being came into view. Alden was now so consumed in discovering what was happening that he failed to realize that he was nowhere near as small as he was only minutes ago.

"You – will – release – ME!" The voice shouted between thuds of flesh against steel. There was no answer to the voice, only silence between the screams and thuds. As Alden finally stepped over the room's threshold he noticed just how bare the room really was. Empty, save a table and a few chairs, amidst blood stained walls; the seemingly iron bars kept a single man caged in his rage. The only thing on the table seemed to be a set of knives and a sword of ornate design.

"YOU!" The man shouted accusingly, his arm reaching though the bars of the wall in a misguided attempt to grab Alden's all too distant form. "Come to gloat over your minor victory? I will be released, and when I do…" The man flung himself into another raging fit. He throttled the bars of his imprisonment as if to strangle Alden for his suffering. For some reason the man looked oddly familiar, and yet like no man Alden had ever seen before. His black and red tunic was of a similar color scheme to his tailed coat that was lined with belted scabbards. His hair was so long it reached down to his ankles and was such a deep red that it seemed like the man had dyed it in blood. Considering how much blood layered the walls; that actually seemed to be a possibility. Whether it was the man's own or whoever put him here was unknown. For a man imprisoned with nothing he seemed to be oddly well shaven.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Alden asked in an attempt to gage why there was so much blood about. Was this man really being tortured or was he perhaps imprisoned for a reason?

"For a man who prides himself on his intelligence you really are a fool." The man spat as he flung himself away from the bars and began to pace from side to side. Alden couldn't help but dislike the look on the man's face.

"You didn't answer my question." As patient as Alden could be, he did not like being ignored. When people ignored his warnings, they tended to get hurt or worse. This fact had bred in him a rather distinct distaste for those who ignored him. It was one of the burdens of knowing the future of so many worlds.

"Who am I? Who am I! I really did overestimate you." The man leveled his gaze at Alden with a disdainful glare. "I'm you of course; why else would I be here?"

"You're not making any sense. I'm right here." The man looked nothing like Alden. Claiming to be the same man was irrational. The hair was different, their facial features were completely different. This man's face had a much harder tone to it. Their only real seminaries were their height and affinity for long hair.

"You never could think outside the box. Like the laws of physics apply in your mind; use your head, fool. Better yet, release me; free me and you won't have to worry about that anymore. You won't have to worry about anything anymore."

"I'm not releasing you until I know who you are and why you're here. Why does this room look like ground zero of a massacre?" Alden insisted, pointing to the splatters of blood on the wall. Some looked like pools while others looked as if the splash had occurred while quite literally rending someone in two. Whatever occurred here was madness and the nutcase behind the wall was clearly the only one with any answers.

"Still with the same pointless demands. If you must have a name then call me Na'del, for I am your suffering incarnate. Every life you've taken, every breath you've ended; that is who I am and with every blade you draw I grow stronger." That was impossible. If any of that was true then that would mean…

"Ah, yes; now you understand. It's very rude to call someone a creature you know. You're walking around in MY body and I demand it back!" Yet again this Na'del gripped the bars and shook them with all his might. They did not budge of course, for all his effort he only rattled his own body.

"My brother made you, placed you here; this is _my_ body." Alden replied as calmly as he could. It was actually quite terrifying to come face to face with such a thing as your own inner darkness given form. If it weren't for Zereth, none of this would have happened. After all these years, Alden still wanted little more than to go back to his home world and live a normal life. Thanks to his brother, his old life was little more than a dream at this point.

"Oh you have no idea, do you? He never made me. I was here from the beginning, from the moment you-were-_born_." It seemed like with every word this creature said, its grin became darker, more evil. It was like looking at a rabid yet starving fox. It was so cunning yet so vicious. Alden had always know it was a monster but only now did he realize just how literal that statement truly was.

"Liar!' Alden shot back without hesitation.

"FOOL! Every being that has ever existed has one of me!" Na'del insisted. The creature was like a void of anger and resentment. It really was suffering incarnate. "For every little thing you can't bear to stain your mind with, it is I who take that on. It is I who make you _strong_! All your brother did was give me form and for that he is my savior." Na'del explained with its own twisted sense of pride.

"You will never be free. The Jedi have bound you here." That was why this prison was here, Alden could see that clearly now. He may not have had a true answer for all the blood but he could guess well enough.

"I will be free if it takes a _thousand years_!" Na'del stated as if it were a certainty, his eyes locked deeply with Alden's.

"And I will always be here to stop you." Resolve, that was the emotion that resonated as Alden's voice reverberated off the walls of the prison. Turning away from the monster, Alden grabbed the weapons on the table and carried them with him as the world began to fade. The monster was not yet done with him however; it had at least one final thing to say.

"You're a fool Alden. I can wait here forever! You know I can! YOU CAN'T DENY IT!"

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**Chapter Notes**

Ok I loved writing the last part more than I should. I may not have many plans for Alden's evil half in this book, but believe me when I say that it will prove to be a very important part of the story when they reach the Naruto world. If you've read the original, you have an idea.

If you are wondering I pronounce Na'del as Nah – Dell. It's actually derived from rearranging Alden, though it came out surprisingly close to Nayel which I pronounce rather similarly as Nah – Yell.

Originally I wanted to write out the trials for everyone but I soon realized that it would make the chapter FAAAR too long. That and most of them weren't really going to be as interesting as these two.

I recently started reading Order 66 and I've got to say, there's a lot of inspiration there. I highly recommend it.

I'm a good part of the way done with the next chapter of A New Beginning so I should be able to get that out sometime this week. It's going to be fun, but the chapter after it is going to be better.


	4. Chapter 04 - The Heart of a Jedi

**The False Apocalypse **

**Book 2: Rise of the Guardians**

**Chapter Four**

A Shadow in the Light

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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the worlds or characters from the crossovers. If I did I would be working on them and not this. The original characters and world in the first chapter are however of my own creation.

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Ilum was a harshly cold planet. Only highly concentrated light could melt the frozen waters of this icy hell and even that froze within seconds of returning to the shadows. Few would venture to the planet willingly and fewer still would choose to live there. Still, the planet was the primary modern source of crystals for a Jedi's lightsaber. For millennia, countless Jedi ventured into the planet's sacred caverns. Guided by the Force in ritualistic fashion, few ever became a Jedi Padawan without suffering through the planet's cruel trials. This is how it had been since the fall of the last Sith Empire, when Jedi were no longer needed to be soldiers. Today however, the planet's location was highly classified. Only Jedi and important government officials had any business with the planet. After a Separatist attack by Count Dooku, the planet has been kept under even higher security than normal and was locked out of traditional hyperspace routs. Anyone who set foot on the planet would have to pass rigorous certifications.

This unfortunate truth meant that Palpatine knew exactly how many new Jedi Padawan were in the works. With the Jedi's current knowledge about the Chancellor's true identity, that little fact was unacceptable. They would of course have to retain a moderate number of travels to the planet in order to keep up appearances. However, a great many new Jedi would have to find their crystals from … unusual sources, older sources. This was especially true for a specific group that the Jedi council had been paying very close attention to; a group that the council had very special plans for.

For this reason Jedi Master Mace Windu found himself above a planet he did not expect to see twice in his lifetime. Deep within a sector known as Wild Space he gazed out onto the surface of the planet Hurikane with a number of students to his back. He actually found himself quite glad that he got to see the system yet again, even if it was from well above the atmosphere. Many years ago the wise Jedi had extreme difficulty in crafting his own lightsaber. It seemed like he searched forever, never finding the right crystal. After a series of life altering events on the surface of this planet, he was gifted with a handful of Hurrikaine crystals that produced the iconic purple hue of his saber. The crystal was the heart of the saber just as the saber was the heart of the Jedi. Now was the time for a new generation of Jedi to craft their own 'hearts'.

The gathering was one of the most important events in a Jedi's life. Prospective Padawans set out on a journey of self-discovery in search of a crystal that resonated with them through the Force. For the last few weeks Master Windu had been traveling the galaxy with seven promising students, in search of their own lightsaber crystals. In the recent months he had taken a vested interest in this particular group. He wanted a secret weapon against Palpatine, a specially trained group to seek out information they could use against him as the war drew on. A group trained specifically to battle Sith and other dark Jedi, people like Grievous. A part of him actually hoped that they would be ready to take the Sith on within the year but that was hopeful thinking. It was _very_ hopeful thinking. Even with this group's extraordinary rate of growth, such a level would take years of training if he was being completely honest with himself. They were however in an optimal position to perform another task that was probably just as important, gathering proof of Palpatine's treachery.

Before anyone could dream about taking on the Sith, these students would have to find their lightsaber crystals and instill them with the Force. From there they would have to craft their own lightsabers and master them just as well or better than they had mastered their steel blades. Where normal Jedi would use the Force to seek their crystal through the caves of Ilum, this group had to find the right crystals with the entire galaxy as their hunting ground. Thus far, five of the dimension travelers had located their long sought gems. The final two, Kenshin and Kaoru were drawn to this specific planet and had been on its surface for three standards days now. The others were busy meditating on the form their new lightsabers would take once they arrived on the droid Huyang's ship.

Since long before Yoda's time, the droid Huyang had aided countless Jedi in the construction of their lightsabers. It was an unfortunate fact that on a recent expedition, the droid's longtime home had been destroyed in a run-in with pirates and Separatists. The droid's new ship was currently being stocked with countless pieces and parts from around the galaxy. It was quite likely that this group would have to design and craft many of their own parts. Master Windu would be taking his new students on a direct journey to that new ship as soon as Kaoru and Kenshin returned.

The completion of the Gathering was drawing near. Only twenty standard minutes ago the two planet-side students had contacted Master Windu, informing him of the completion of their task. He could feel them through the Force; they were returning in the small landing ship they had taken to the surface. Soon they would journey to Huyang's ship and once that quest was complete, the real journey would begin.

The Jedi order seemed to be experiencing an extraordinary number of firsts over the last few months. The presence of eight extraordinarily aged recruits became treated as a heavily guarded secret. Everyone in the order that had come to know them had been sworn to secrecy and the trainees themselves effectively vanished from the view of the temple inhabitants. While Master Yoda had originally planned to aid the Wookies of Kashyyyk personally, recent events forced his hand to send another master of similar though somewhat lesser standing with them. It did however allow him to focus on guiding the order's movements on a more grand scale than he could while on the move or in the middle of a battlefield. Few seemed to realize just how often Yoda would switch between the roles of soldier and grand architect of countless Jedi movements throughout the war. This focused time in the temple did however allow the Master time to work on a rather intriguing pet project; a project that Master Windu also took great pleasure in. It seemed that many of the council members would be well satisfied with the decision to train these peculiar students.

The training of abnormally old Jedi was widely considered by the order to be dangerous. In order to ensure the greatest chance of success Master Yoda wanted to handle their training as personally as possible. Only the highest ranking and well trusted Jedi in the order were to have anything to do with such training. To say he was quite glad with the results would have been an understatement. In the two meager months since the former Lotus Guard became Jedi initiates, they had flourished under the training. While the philosophical and scientific aspects of the order were difficult to ingrain into some of their minds, the moral and battle related aspects were quite another matter. In many ways, it seemed like these beings were bred to be Jedi. From the adequate rate at which they soaked in information to the alarming rate at which they progressed in combat, they were in many ways, the perfect students. Unlike many prospective Jedi, these beings were wholly devoted to the task at hand instead of the playful whimsy of childhood. In some ways, it was refreshing. In others, it was actually rather disturbing.

In only two months these warriors from another world had taken to the ways of the Force like initiates who were ready to construct their own lightsabers. Even Sanosuke, who was easily the furthest behind when it came to manipulating the Force, was well in line with the skills present for initiates who were chosen to become Padawan. While they knew relatively little of the Force when compared to a Master or even a seasoned Knight; they had the discipline and skill necessary as warriors to pose a serious threat to even some of the most elite in the order. It was quite like finding an ARC trooper with an affinity for the Force and beginning the training from there. What would have been a worthy adversary before, became all that and more.

With regards to lightsaber combat, most of these abnormally old recruits took to it like seasoned masters taking up another form. While their sword styles differed greatly from lightsaber combat, the basic premise remained the same and all save Megumi had skills that would put countless masters to shame. Seeing the potential in this group, Master Yoda began to plan in secret with Master Windu. Seeing that Megumi could get by but was not particularly suited for combat, she was separated from the group to learn from a medical droid while she trained her ability with the Force. Soon she would craft her own lightsaber and become the Padawan to a prominent Force Healer but that was at least a month off. The others found themselves whisked from the confines of the Jedi temple to a stripped and refitted corvette class capital ship.

Retrofitted for the needs of training Jedi; the ship had originally belonged to Republic intelligence, though it had been scrapped after a particularly difficult run-in with Grievous. All together it wasn't too difficult to wash the funds needed to bring the ship up to speed; there were after all quite a few credits being spent on the war and the Jedi often retrofitted old ships to save the Republic credits. The Jedi council was particularly careful by keeping all information about the group as far from Palpatine's grasp as possible. If Masters Yoda and Windu had anything to say about it, the knowledge and newfound skills of these warriors would prove to be an invaluable secret weapon against the Sith. In a matter of days, these students would become off the record Padawan that could travel the galaxy with all the anonymity of veteran intelligence agents. The end of their training as initiates was drawing to a close. Now all they had to do was wait for the return of their allies.

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"Master Windu, it has been far too long. You do not lead many Gatherings these days." The droid Huyang greeted the legendary Jedi Master as he stepped aboard the droid's new ship. It was actually quite a bit larger than the last, with quite a few more security features. The Jedi were not going to risk another incident like the last Gathering that Ahsoka Tano had lead. Behind him the former members of the Lotus guard followed in single file, each with their precious crystal tight in hand. Each in traditional initiate garb, they all wore faces of deep pride at what they were about to undergo. Though their time with the Jedi had been short, it had a profound impact on their lives and psyche. Though not yet gone, even Sanosuke's penetrating fear of technology had waned greatly. Much like Obi-Wan however, he still held an extreme distaste for flying.

"It's hard to get away with the war going on. We're lucky that Master Yoda can do so much over the Holo-coms." Windu replied seriously. There was hardly enough time to center oneself with proper meditation these days. Even his time with these students consisted of training them between seemingly endless council meetings and calls from Jedi in need from only the Force knows where. They needed to end the war soon, he wasn't sure how much longer the Jedi could keep up this pace.

"Oh, certainly. Few in the order have been as skilled or versatile as Master Yoda. These are the…" The droid paused as he took notice of the prospective Jedi. "Oh my, you mentioned how out of the ordinary they were but I never imagined. It is rare for a whole group to be this old." The reality was that most Jedi became Padawan around the time or shortly after their species entered puberty. Most humans tended to join the Gathering between 10 and 13 standard years. If the height of these examples said anything they were all closer to the end of that average.

"They are an abnormal case, but they are ready." It was difficult for even the council members to not have a degree of pride with this group. They had each accomplished a feat that hadn't been seen in over a thousand years. On the other hand it had been that long since anyone needed to progress so fast.

"They have passed the gathering then?" The bald Master nodded in the affirmative as his only response and motioned for his students to approach a bench with a number of stools. The Jedi then took a seat at a corner of the room to watch the proceedings. It had been many years since he had lead a Gathering, and decades since he himself stood before the ancient droid to create his own lightsaber. It really was a wonder to watch the variety of sabers that could be created.

"Excellent, though I must apologies to you all. I have only recently regained my stocks of base materials. I don't have many functional components available at the moment. It is likely that we will have to create components for you. Thankfully, this wonderful new ship is outfitted with a holocron input to allow you to design your sabers holographical. We can create the rest from there, but first. First, place your crystals here, we will see what you have gathered." The droid was clearly quite knowledgeable in the subject of lightsabers. Even the tone in which he spoke was like listening to an ancient master talk about a skill he had learnt long ago. This was actually quite true. Huyang was a droid that had assisted in the creation of nearly every Jedi lightsaber since well before the Jedi coalesced their training to the temple on Coruscant. This droid predated countless generations of even Yoda's species.

Placing their crystals on the desk before the droid, he strolled off to the left side of the table and with a focusing eye he examined the first crystal in his path. "Ah yes, you don't see many of these, not from Ilum anyway. An Ankarres Sapphire, very rare, very expensive." The droid stated as he picked up Kaoru's oddly colored crystal and rotated it for a closer inspection. It was light purple in hue, not pink but not quite purple either. It was a peculiar shade in-between blue and purple. "Even more so considering the color, were they not so rare I imagine that all Jedi would choose these. They repel the dark unlike any other crystal. I've heard that no Sith could even touch one of these. A lightsaber made from one will cease to function if the wielder leans even slightly to the dark." Most of these crystals were more of a blue color but this one had clearly been altered by an abnormal environment.

On the surface of Hurikane, Kaoru had been drawn to a sinkhole well inside a deep wasteland. It was actually quite dangerous but with Kenshin by her side she held little fear. A day passed within a cavern they found within the sinkhole before they stumbled upon an underground water flow where the sapphire glowed in a stray ray of light.

Moving to the next initiate, Huyang grasped Kenshin's crystal. It too was purple but of a much darker shade than Kaoru's. "Well, this certainly takes me back. I haven't seen a Hurrikaine crystal since Master Windu brought his to me. If the rest are nearly as peculiar as these two, then we're in for an eventful day. These crystals are astonishingly good at enhancing the user's ability to penetrate an opponent's defenses, perfect for these dangerous times." The droid replied informatively. While highly valued for their beauty, these crystals had not been commonly used in lightsaber construction since the Jedi began using Ilum as their primary source of crystals. With a smile, Kenshin took his crystal back.

Next was Sanosuke who placed two dark orange crystals forward to the droid without a word. "Corusca gems, one of the hardest in the galaxy but also one of the most brittle when struck at just the right point. It will make a strong, resilient blade. Keep your defenses strong and it will serve you well." Sanosuke's journey took him to a marketplace on Yavin Prime. There were countless stores in the area but one in particular had been robbed. As fate would have it, Sanosuke had seen the bandit only moments earlier. It had taken most of the day but the hardheaded warrior had eventually tracked down the thief and returned quite a few priceless gems. The owner had been so thankful that these two gems were his reward. Sanosuke was quite proud of the day's events.

Alden was the next along the bench with two bright blue crystals of his own. Taking them both into hand the droid examined them both for a bit longer than the earlier gems. "A common color but yet another peculiar crystal. Kaiburr crystals are rare but highly sought after in lightsaber construction. These strengthen the wielder's connection to the Force and produce a powerful blade. They were quite widely used in the Old Order, before the Reformation, but the mines were lost. The last I remember was when Qui-Gon Jin had to make a new saber. These will serve you well." Returning the crystals to their owner the droid prepared to move on yet again. Alden's journey to find his crystal had been a bit different than saving people or cave diving. His journey had lead him to the forests of Kashyyyk. The Force guided him to an ancient shack on the forest floor. It had been long abandoned and the area overrun with brush and creatures of unspeakable ferocity but the two crystals rested neatly in an old desk. He was actually quite glad to get out of that place.

The next candidate in line was Hiko and a silver crystal that sat still in front of him. Upon examination the droid spoke yet again. "A durindfire crystal, they are magnificent at absorbing and redirecting energy. Blaster bolts will find it very difficult to land on you." While that on its own was impressive, Master Windu knew of an even better aspect to the stones. Their ability with energy made them ideal for blocking and redirecting Force Lightning and other similar abilities. This would make a perfect blade to combat Sith. Meanwhile, Hiko himself thought back to the events which lead him to this unique crystal. The master swordsman had found the it near the entrance of a krayt dragon nest on Tatooine. The creature was thankfully asleep. The crystal itself shone at the edge of an outcropping of similar crystals within a freshly fallen stalactite. He was actually quite lucky.

Kenji's was the next to be examined. It was a cyan colored crystal that reflected well in the light. "An Opila crystal, not bad especially with the current war going on. They produce one of the most potent cutting blades available. It will do well, even against armored droids and blast doors." Kenji was quite satisfied with the information, it fit his style quite well. While his father always had been the type to find a way past his enemy's defense, Kenji was the kind to force his way through it. His journey had lead him to an asteroid of the Fyrth system. He was quite glad they had space suits available. Walking in space was quite a chore.

Lastly there was Aoshi who pushed forward two very darkly blue crystals. "Oh yes, bondar crystals, not as potent a blade as an Opila but even the slightest contact will momentarily stun an opponent's nervous system. I must say, I haven't seen such a variety of crystals since long before Yoda came to me seeking his own lightsaber. Each of you must realize that the crystals reflect who you are and who you will be. Consider this when constructing your sabers." Aoshi's journey was one of the longest among his friends. The Force lead him to some of the most remote regions of Dantooine. He eventually found his crystals buried in the ruins of an old Jedi temple.

"Now then, I will ask you to place your hands on the desk in front of you and focus. Use the Force to discern the shape, the texture, the feel of your lightsaber. Take one of your hands and feel its grip, feel its weight and how it reacts to your commands." As the droid spoke the initiates did as asked, making sure to keep at least one hand on the desk. The surface of the desk was lined with several squares embedded with illegible runes. These squares were obviously the place their hands were intended to be placed. Reaching out through the Force and deep into their own minds a holo-image appeared before each of them.

"Ah, wonderful. I must say Master Windu, the new device works beautifully." Huyang commented upon seeing the wide variety in designs that came to each of the 'young minds.' This device brought forth a rendering of the image within each young Jedi's mind. It was actually quite useful now that his many stores of lightsaber parts were destroyed. The software would analyze the design and determine how each of the parts would have to be made while producing a list of materials. While it would take longer to produce these lightsabers than the older method, they would be closer to the Jedi's true design. 

"Certainty"

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Traditionally Huyang would have gathered the parts for even very large groups' lightsabers within an hour. With this new method it had taken nearly a day for all the parts to be created. Some materials were quite difficult to work into such intricate shapes after all. Once each initiate received their parts however, their real task began. The construction of a Jedi's lightsaber was more than simply constructing a weapon, it was a trial all its own. The first step was gathering the crystal and infusing it with the Force. The Force guided and challenged each Jedi in their own way. When that step was complete, they had a crystal that was unlike any other in the galaxy; it was tuned to the Jedi through the Force.

Each crystal resonated with the Force in a different way depending on the type of crystal it was. Some crystals were plain but others enhanced certain abilities for the wielder. Some would make the user faster while others would promote healing and others still would help the wielder achieve deeper clarity in their meditations. There were countless gems and effects that they could produce and there was none that could easily be called the most powerful. Yes, some created more powerful sabers while others strengthened the wielder's connection to the Force but in the end it took a certain crystal to resonate perfectly with the Jedi. Their effects often reflected their goals and personality. A healer would do about as well with a durindfire crystal as they would with any other, but give them one that promotes healing or strengthens their connection with the Force and the results would be astonishing. In the end, the Force lead each Jedi to their most optimal crystal.

Together Huyang and Master Windu watched as the initiates concentrated on their sabers, levitating them into position. Of the whole group it was Sanosuke who seemed to be having the most trouble. Though his connection to the Force was respectfully strong he was more apt to follow the path of the Jedi Guardian. He had always been more of a brawler and close range fighter, so the idea of throwing around objects or manipulating people's minds did not at all appeal to him in the least. For him, this process was a chore, especially since his lightsaber's design was quite a bit more complicated than most of his friends'. In a sudden sound of crashing steel, Sanosuke grunted in deep frustration.

"I don't get it, why in the seven hells do we need to use the Force for this shit?" Master Windu frowned at the boy's reaction. It was not the first time he had seen such a reaction while crafting a lightsaber but that fact didn't make it any more disappointing, especially from such a promising group. The last two months had done wonders for Sano's fear of technology but it changed little of his distaste for it. While he had come to accept that the Force was a part of nature in this universe he still considered it a cheap trick when used to manipulate people. Quite honestly it wasn't that uncommon a feeling within the Jedi. There were distinct moral qualms with the manipulation of people's minds in particular. Still, if it allowed them to avoid more aggressive measures…

"The crafting of your lightsaber is one of the most important parts of your training. It is a test that demonstrates your level of mastery in the ways of the Force. You will get it in time." Master Windu tried to reassure the warrior. Creating the lightsaber itself was not something that was permitted to be done by hand. This step too was a test of a young Jedi's skill and concentration with the Force. Sure they could put it together by hand but what would that prove? It would prove nothing. By having a Jedi use the Force to assemble the saber, they imbued it _with_ the Force and proved their degree of mastery with it. None would become Padawan without passing this test for they would not yet be worthy of the title, Jedi. Sanosuke would simply have to continue until he succeeded.

Sanosuke Sagara was only building one lightsaber though he had two crystals. What he was really building was known as a Great Lightsaber, often called a Great Saber. The hilt would be nearly twice the length of a traditional saber and would take two focus crystals to generate a massive blade. Just like back home the only blade he wanted to wield would be massive. Unfortunately the two crystal aspect of the saber also made it more difficult to assemble that what most of his friends were building. Seeing the parts haphazardly floating before Sano, most would have assumed that he was building a saberstaff. That particular mistake would be the kind that cost beings dearly. When it came to a style of combat there were few styles that would fit such a large saber. Not many chose such a large blade unless the being was large enough for it to seem normal sized. For Sanosuke, there was only one style he could see this blade being wielded with. The Ataru form was very flashy, fast paced, and relied heavily on aerial acrobatics. The style would have fit Kenshin perfectly but it was also the only way of maximizing angles of attack with such a massive blade. Even in his own world, Sano's allies and grilled into his mind the importance of maneuverability and unpredictability. Ataru would give him just that.

While Sano fiddled with his creation Aoshi was nearly complete with both of his. Both were created at the same time, side by side like twins. Both were curved hilt lightsabers that elegantly blended matte black accents with chrome that was etched with an ancient looking design. Activating them was like completing a part of himself he hadn't known was missing. The blades were as dark blue as the ocean and much shorter than traditional lightsabers. Both blades came to a length that was almost identical to his old kodachi. He did however make sure to design the sabers with dual phase in mind. The blades would be short to create a solid defense but when he went on the attack the occasion switch to a slightly longer blade would be a handy trick to throw his opponents off. Aoshi had done extensive research on prospective lightsaber styles. He was utterly fascinated by the dual wielding variant of the Makashi style. The tenants of the style were elegant and calm precision that created a deadly assault and a solid defense against blade practitioners. Knowing of the likely confrontation with the clones and their blasters however, Aoshi also thought heavily on the Soresu style. That was when he read about the Shien style. It seemed that the style's creator thought along the same lines that Aoshi did and created a style that blended the two principles. While Soresu had a solid defense it was said that it only delayed the inevitable. In order to counter that, Shien allowed the wielder to deflect blaster fire back at the opponent, using their strength against them. Altogether it seemed that would focus on Shien and keep Makashi in reserve for lightsaber duels.

Kenji's blade was certainly much more normal with regards to its overall shape than the rest of his peers, the design however, was not. The hilt had only a slight curve to it and was effectively a long black shaft of ribbing with a number of silvery accents flowing around its form that coalesced into overhanging accents at each end of the hilt. Huyang was particularly interested in the design, few Jedi made their lightsabers such works of art. Such a thing was much more common in the past but today most sabers were quite utilitarian in design. The droid was quite pleased to see the return of such art. When activated, the saber produced a cyan blade of standard length though it seemed to emit a light mist that gently wafted up from the hilt. In Kenji's studies there was only one style that he had settled on. To Kenji, Shin wasn't about attack and defense, it was about attacking and forcing an opponent to attack themselves.

Alden's rout took to heart the principles he had focused on for decades, versatility and unpredictability. While he strove to solidify a style he made regular and seemingly unpredictable use of virtually everything he saw. To keep with this premise, his blades were terribly out of the ordinary but nothing he hadn't seen before. He constructed two blades that could be magnetically joined at the pommel to create a saberstaff. He knew some of the basics about bojutsu but next to nothing about the use of a saberstaff. It would take time but it would eventually be a valuable option that could throw his enemies off in the heat of battle.

Overall the blades were of a gracefully smooth design without many accents or jutting points. The few accents it had were small areas, covered in transparasteel so the frosty blue light of his blade could shine through. Though they were not a curved type like Aoshi's they did arch in slightly at the center where the base was cut out to reveal an inner shaft of black ribbing. Designed with dual phase in mind, he wanted it to respond at will, even when it would be difficult to draw on the Force so Alden joined the blade length mechanism and magnetic links to the same chip in his head that controlled his old plasma blades. He knew it was a lot to take on, learning to use a single lightsaber as well as two and a saberstaff. He also knew that most of his combat would focus on one or two blades which he was heavily familiar with but he wanted versatility, even if it would take him years to master them all. After all, most of the Jedi Council members knew at least half of the seven forms for the same reason. Though Master Yoda had long ago mastered all the traditional forms, only Master Windu had truly mastered every form in the order.

When it came to the style he wanted to use, he hoped that Master Windu would consider teaching the Vaapad variant of the incomplete Juyo form. Considering its past however, Alden also knew that it was unlikely that Windu would try to teach anyone else that style. Too many had fallen to the dark side already and that wasn't the kind of pressure one needed to place on one so fresh to the ways of the Force. If he did however, it was likely that the man would work very closely with anyone he taught. In the extremely likely event that Windu wouldn't teach his style, Alden needed an alternative. He was currently stuck between the Djem so variant of the Shien form that focused more on lightsaber combat than blaster deflection and Niman, a style that tried to balance all aspects of lightsaber combat but excelled at nothing in particular. Alden had always been an advocate of balance between offense and defense. For this reason he had never won a duel with Kenshin, but it had been had also been many a decade since he had decisively lost. Ataru was much too flashy and agility based and none of his group stood to gain anything from Shii-Cho, a style that was almost directly evolved from traditional sword techniques. They had already learned most of Shii-Cho anyway. As he had with many in his group over the past few months, Shien and its variants were probably among the most useful styles in this time period. It was a difficult decision.

Kaoru's lightsaber was crafted from the wood of a brylark tree. A deep rose colored wood it seemed as if vines were crawling up the hilt and converging on the emitter. When activated she was quite satisfied with it, the violate blade would have perfectly complimented the old kimono blue kimono she had warn for years. Of all the styles she had studied, the one that seemed to suit her best was Niman. With its overall focus on balance and relatively simple mastery it was called the diplomat's form because it allowed them to have a solid form under their belt while allowing them to focus more on the ways of the Force and diplomacy. After seeing what could be done with mind tricks she saw a great deal of advantage in being able to avoid battle altogether. When she did have to fight, she planned on adding a great deal of subtle Force abilities to supplement her style.

Kenshin on the other hand was leaning heavily towards the Ataru form. Though he knew it was somewhat weak against blaster fire, he had always been quite aware of his surroundings in battle and used his superior speed to great effect by dodging. Thus far, he had great success in dodging blasts from even multiple remotes. In creating his blade, Kenshin had created something of very peculiar shape. While most lightsabers were round, this one was closer to an elongated oval, round on each edge but flat on each side. The whole length shone like chrome but there was a single black strip down the center. When activated, his purple blade was slightly darker than Master Windu's though not significantly enough to tell a difference unless they were side by side. Like several of his allies Kenshin saw the benefit of creating a dual phase saber. Years ago he had Alden place a chip in his own head so he could activate their cloaking technology and plasma blades without any need for motions or buttons. It was a simple matter to have Alden program the power sensitivity and length controls into the chip, though manual controls were subtly in place for if some malfunction occurred.

By comparison Hiko's hilt was much longer. The man was quite a bit taller than Kenshin after all and though he often wielded his blades with a single hand, he used two when he got serious. Like Kaoru, Hiko had decided to use the brylark wood to craft his hilt. In the end his design was very simple and smooth. Were it just a bit shorter it would have easily been mistaken for the hilt of his trusty shirasaya.. It was a very simple design for a man who wished he could have lived as a simple potter. The distinctly silver blade on the other hand spoke another tale, the tale of a man who could tear his enemies asunder at will. While he was vastly faster than most swordsmen, he was somewhat slower than Kenshin but significantly stronger in the physical sense. Of all the forms he had to choose from, he wanted one that could play to his strengths. Vaapad was his only choice and he would be hard pressed to take no for an answer. Hiko was the kind to avoid unnecessary fights but when he did go to battle he was ruthlessly efficient, just like the Vaapad.

Of all the styles that could be taught within the Jedi order, Vaapad was by far the most aggressive, even more so than Ataru. The reason many who tried to learn in fell to the dark side was because of the way it drew on the very edge of the dark side. A practitioner could not master the style without a vigorous enjoyment of battle. That fact was Mace Windu's self-admitted weakness as a Jedi. He had always enjoyed the thrill of a good fight and it was the very thing that caused him to complete the Juyo form into Vaapad. The man wanted a way to channel his inner darkness into a weapon for the light. After the man's last Padawan had fallen to the dark side he had eventually realized that none would ever master Vaapad without that same mindset. With the reading that Hiko had done, he thoroughly believed the style would fit him perfectly.

In some ways, a lot of ways; Alden felt the same about the style. When his brother had condemned his planet to death, the aftermath had birthed a darkness in Alden's heart that took years to fully come to terms with. Even today he had moments when it all came rushing back as fresh as the day it began. It was his own inner darkness that still remained, even with that creature sealed away. He needed to channel that darkness towards a noble goal. For decades that goal had been the Lotus Guard but now there were bigger fish to fry. There was an entire galaxy that needed saving from monsters far darker than the ones in his home world.

It was about this time that Sanosuke was finally nearing the completion of his own saber. Each part floated together in near perfect synchronicity. There was only slight vibration in the movement. Soon the hilt took form and Sanosuke breathed a deep sigh of relief. When the blade was activated Master Windu grinned in satisfaction, his students had completed their task. Now the real journey began.

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Returning to their ship with their new weapons complete, Master Windu lead the group to a room where their new Jedi garb awaited. The robes were a darker brown than most but he had ordered it to be made with Alden's cloaking technology. The tech operated on completely different wavelengths to anything even their best techs had seen before. Only the Force could hide one's presence better but the Korun master knew they would need it on the mission he had planned for them.

It was time for these new Padawan to form the new squad the council had in store for them. From the day they arrived in this universe, none of them had been destined to be part of an ordinary Jedi duo. By the best estimates, only seven months remained until Palpatine initiated his dread order 66. To prevent this, the Jedi felt it was time to take a few lines from the commando guidebook. It was time for a Special Forces brand of Jedi squad that could ensure the completion of even the most suicidal of missions. It was time to bring the war to Palpatine by picking his plans apart, piece by piece.

Step One: Somewhere in the galaxy there were people who were piecing together tiny parts of Palpatine's plan. Those people needed to be found so the Jedi would have evidence to bring to the senate floor.

Step Two: Dismantle Palpatine's plans in secret.

Step Three: Confront Palpatine on multiple fronts.

Step Four: End this damned war.

It was time to begin Operation: Light's Shadow.

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**Chapter Notes**

Ok, I feel like there was a bit too much explanation in this chapter and not enough plot / action. I intend to remedy that quite thoroughly with the next chapter. Hopefully there are some of you who enjoy the lore as much as I do. My first real arc in this story will draw heavily from the book: Order 66.

Interesting fact: as of this chapter, this story is now longer than the entire star wars world was in the original story.

I do have an image of one of Alden's lightsabers in my profile if you want to see that. It is of my own design.

Next chapter: A Shadow in the Light


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